Imprintee
by Golden Topaz Eyes
Summary: She smiled, laughing. “Maybe Jacob Black decided to visit us! Don’t worry, they don’t eat other dogs.” I rolled my eyes, but I didn't know how right she was. Embry/OC.
1. First Sight

_This is a new approach to fanfics for me - I'm writing about a whole new set of characters, and none of them have golden eyes ;). Tell me how I'm doing, please!_

_Special thanks to Rufus and Lily 4ever for reading this over for me. Check out her stuff too, it's good!_

* * *

It was a dark, rainy Saturday night when my life was changed forever.

Mom and Dad had gone out for the night, leaving me to baby-sit my sister, Adrianna, the twins, Jamie and Mikayla, and the family dog, Misty May, the demon of a Doberman.

"Alice!"

I sighed, coming out of my thoughts to hear my sister's screams. I had loved my name, but when Twilight came out, all Adrianna would say was how my name was so Twilight-y, making me hate the series instantly. She tried convincing me to dye my long, blonde hair black and cut it short, and when I refused she tried playing "beauty salon" with me, using Mikayla's Barbie hair salon products to do it herself. All my Christmas and Birthday presents consisted of Twilight stuff, whether it was a tote bag with my character's image on it or the deluxe "Alice Cullen" choker. I took all the gifts with a smile, putting them in their own little drawer in my many-drawer vanity, them never to see the light of day again.

I got up from our comfy couch, walking to the dark computer room. The only light on was the computer screen light itself, and I chuckled. This was how I often found Adrianna on Saturdays, her face bathed in the cool white light of the computer screen.

"What is it, Dri?" I said, walking over to the screen. A blown-up picture of the series' author wearing a burgundy prom number filled the screen, and I rolled my eyes.

"Stephenie Meyer is hosting these cool dances called Eclipse Proms!!" She nearly shrieked, turning in the swivel chair to face me. "If I buy tickets, will you go with me?"

I chuckled, knowing there was no way I would go to some Twilight fan freak convention. "Maybe, Dria. Maybe."

She looked at me, her excitement turning to disappointment. "Oh. Okay." Adrianna knew I didn't like the Twilight series, but she was always hoping that one day my mind would change and I'd turn into some 16-year-old Twilight fan freak who loved taking her 12-year-old sister to Twilighter meetings.

I heard barking, followed by the pelting of rain on our roof. I clenched my teeth, looking forward to opening the door and letting in a soaking wet Misty May. My wish came true as I slid open the sliding glass door to be greeted by two, muddy paws on my shoulders.

"Misty!" I yelled angrily, and she gave me a slobbery kiss before jumping down onto the floor, leaving muddy tracks wherever she went. This is what happens when you let your two-year-old brother choose the dog you get and nobody has the time to pay attention to her.

Before I went to mop up the tracks, lighting crashed outside the door. In the brief flash of light that illuminated the backyard, I swear I spotted a huge, dog-shaped creature lingering at the edge of the woods. But when I flicked the porch light on, the creature had vanished.

I shook my head, convincing myself that I had imagined the dark shape. I began mopping up the tracks, grateful Misty hadn't gone onto the cream-colored shag carpets and taken her mud with her.

I felt the paw prints of mud on my shoulders, and I wanted to kill Misty. I was wearing my favorite white tee, and I knew the mud would never come out. I glared at her as she lounged on her bed chewing a bone. Dogs had such an easy life.

"Awice!"

I hoisted myself up from the hard floor, smiling at my brother's lisp. He was different than Adrianna - quiet, small, and the cutest thing with blonde hair and dimples. He was my favorite sibling out of the three, with Mikayla in second.

I was about to get Jamie when, suddenly, Misty bounded up from her plaid bed, racing to the glass door in a black, muddy flash. Her fur was on end, bristling. Her ears were lain against her skull, and I heard a low, menacing growl come from her mouth.

I stepped back, leaving her be. She'd be fine for two seconds while I went to get Jamie.

"Awice, I had a bad dweam," I heard, and I ran up the stairs to see the little, blonde toddler standing up in his crib, clutching the ear of his teddy bear. I heard his sniffles, and I scooped him up into my arms, snuggling him.

"What was it about, Jamester?" I asked, and he looked up at me from behind his teddy. I wiped a tear away from his eye, and he giggled.

"In my dream, you was gone." he said, and I could see the tears were about to spill over. "Misty May was crying and Mikaywa was all sniffly and Dri Dri wouldn't look at her Twiwight stuffs."

I hugged him closer. "I'm not going anywhere, Jamie. Don't you worry, okay?"

He seemed reassured, nodding. I kissed his forehead, putting him back into his crib. I cranked the music box he had, and it played the pretty tune he loved - _All The Pretty Little Ponies. _I looked over into Mikayla's crib, her identical blonde hair all mussed up in sleep. She rolled over, clutching her favorite kitty doll.

The peaceful atmosphere of Jamie and Mikayla's room was shattered as I heard Misty's growling turn into snarls and barks. My calm mood broke into a panicky one.

"Awice, why is Misty May barking?" Mikayla said, her voice all sleepy.

I sighed, going over to rub her hair. "It's okay, Kayla. She sees a raccoon outside, it's okay."

Mikayla sighed, and I heard her soft, sleepy breathing come quickly. I raced downstairs, rain pelting on the skylights. Lighting flashed a few times, scaring me out of my skin. I shook it off, remembering that I had to calm Misty down, and being in a frantic mood wouldn't help her.

Misty's condition had worsened. Her lip had curled up into a snarl, and she was scratching at the door. Her stub of a tail was up and straight. I tried to be calm, but I had never seen Misty be this aggressive before, and it was scaring me.

"Alice, what's going on with Misty?" I heard Adrianna say, and she came to my side in the doorframe of the kitchen. Her eyes were wide and scared, her brown hair frizzy from the humidity.

"I don't know. She must not like the rain or something." I hugged Adrianna close, and she hugged me back in fear.

"Should we let her out?" Dri asked, and I nodded swiftly. She was about to turn on the electric fence, but I stopped her.

"She'd die if she ran the fence while wet," I said, and Dri looked even more horrified. "I'll walk her and see if she needs to pee or something."

"Be careful," Adrianna said, and I grabbed an umbrella and Misty's nylon leash. I clipped it onto her red collar while shrugging into Dad's heavy-duty raingear jacket. "You ready?" Dri asked me, and I nodded.

As soon as the door was open, Misty broke out into a full sprint towards the woods. My umbrella turned inside out and I dropped it behind me.

"Misty! Misty May! No, no!" I yelled, but my cries were washed away with the rain. Misty knew her target, and I couldn't stop her from going after it.

My feet were trying to slow us down, but the mud was slippery, and I felt the moisture slipping through my sneakers. I screamed a few times, but Misty didn't stop.

We reached the line of the woods, and Misty slowed down. She was panting, but she was still excited about something. I was confused, and I waited for her to sniff around like she always did.

With a big lightning flash I could see clearly why Misty was excited. Just beyond the line of trees, I could easily see at least eleven dark, huge, dog-shaped creatures lingering in the forest. They were lined up in a V-shape, completely still as they took my shape and Misty's shape in. I screamed, letting go of Misty's leash as she pulled towards them. Getting pulled through the mud I would do, getting pulled towards scary-looking dogs I wouldn't do.

I turned around to watched Misty run into the forest for a quick second, free from the leash, but then I ran. I sprinted as fast as I could to the house, scrambling up the deck stairs and nearly running into the glass door.

"What the heck happened to you?" Adrianna asked, pouring me a mug of coffee. She took in my muddy face, clothes, and sneakers. "Looks like you decided to have a spa treatment out there."

"Misty's gone." I said, grabbing the coffee and sucking it down black.

"What?" She said, clanging the coffee pot on the counter. "Where would she go? How did she escape? I thought you had her the whole time!"

"Dri, you have to believe me."

"I swear I will." Her eyes were wide and excited, ready to take in my secret.

"She ran towards the woods, after these dog-shaped things. It freaked me out, Dria. Wolves are not supposed to be that big."

She smiled, laughing. "Maybe Jacob Black decided to visit us! Don't worry, Ali, they don't eat other dogs."

I rolled my eyes, peeling the muddy raincoat. "Whatever, Dria."

I didn't know how right she was_._

* * *

_My profile always has the outfits of the characters according to chapter - check them out :)_

_I won't continue unless I have at least one review, sorry :P_

_~GTE_


	2. Strangers at Night

_I didn't get any reviews, and I'm really upset :(. Thanks to AngelicaRose and Thesilverhunter for subscribing, though!_

_Rufus and Lily 4ever didn't review this - sorry guys! Enjoy it though, please!_

* * *

Misty May decided to come back the next morning. She was covered in mud and twigs stuck to her fur. Scratches lined her sides, probably a gift from running through the dense forest.

Adrianna was convinced that Sam Uley's pack had come last night to collect her. I didn't think she was serious at the time, or that they had come to collect her. I just rolled my eyes, but I made her swear not to tell any of the Twilighters at her school. They would tell their parents, who would tell mine, and I would be labeled as crazy for the rest of my life.

A week later, my parents had to take my siblings shopping for new school clothes. They packed up the blue minivan, holding enough supplies to last for the few hour drive to the nearest mall. We lived in the middle of nowhere, our house on its own long driveway surrounded by greenery and tall pine trees. We lived in Oregon right on the border of Washington, and it rained all the time.

I stood outside with Misty May on her leash in the faint light of twilight, waving as they pulled away. I could see Jamie's pudgy little hand waving at me, and I waved back, blowing kisses. Through the canopy of tress I could see a huge, black cloud towering over me. I shrugged, pulling Misty back with me to the house. Hopefully "Jacob Black" wouldn't visit us again while my family was gone.

* * *

"Misty May! What the hell is up with you?"

Misty was pacing around the living room, her nails clinking loudly on the wood floors. Her tail was down, her ears were down, and she was whining. She wasn't scared, but she wasn't excited, either. I think she was anxious, waiting for something - or worse, for someone.

Suddenly Misty broke out of her weird pacing and ran to the door. She was whining frantically, jumping up and down. She scratched at the glass, trying to tell me she wanted out. I rolled my eyes, knowing immediately that she wanted to run with the weird creatures outside. As much as I didn't want her to go, I knew it was inevitable. I grabbed my new umbrella and my own raincoat, preparing for the rain that would come soon.

I slid the door open, and Misty sprinted down the deck stairs. I watched as she turned around, waiting for me to follow her. I reluctantly trudged down the deck steps, my heart pounding. I was terrified, but I tried not to show it.

I bit my lip, the rain starting to come down in a light drizzle. I could see the drops of moisture dotting my red, polka-dot boots, and Misty's back looked slick and wet. Misty kept leading me down the hill of our yard to the forest line, and I kept going.

I saw the line of figures in the forest, just like they had been a few nights ago. Misty stopped at the forest line, and she sat down. I heard a low growl come from the trees, and she lowered her body, pressing it to the ground, her stomach leaving an imprint in the mud. I stopped at the top of the hill, not wanting to go any further. I scrunched down, sitting Indian-style on the grass, my umbrella sheltering me from the light drizzle.

The figures emerged, one by one. I saw a chocolate brown wolf, a grey wolf with a spotted back, a tiny grey one, a dark grey one, a sandy one, a russet colored one, and lastly, a pure black figure. Three other wolves with big paws emerged behind the black one, following him like lost puppies. The russet wolf seemed like a leader, too. The little grey wolf and the sandy wolf trotted to stand behind him, and he seemed to grow taller just by their presence.

Misty looked up at the russet one, who nudged her. She stood up, shaking. The black wolf sniffed her face, and she turned around to sniff his too. The little sandy wolf nodded at the black wolf and went to lick Misty's face, and she jumped around, knowing she was accepted. I sat down on the hill, holding the umbrella above my head. It was cute to see that Misty had made some friends.

The little grey wolf and the sandy wolf trotted around the yard, running slowly to allow Misty to keep up. They ran around playfully, barking and whining like puppies. The two lead wolves sat on their haunches, watching Misty and their wolves. The other wolves seemed out of place, but the grey one with spots walked to my favorite pine tree and lied down on his stomach, sleeping.

I heard a loud bark, and I saw the two lead wolves gathering the pack. Misty was about to leave with them, but she stopped, turning around. I almost saw the light bulb go off in her head, remembering me, and she trotted back to where I was sitting.

All the wolves' eyes followed Misty as she scampered up the hill, analyzing her every move. When their eyes met mine, their gazes weren't mean or angry, but confused. Their eyes seemed almost human, some of them blue and green. One of the wolves - the spotted grey one - was staring at me so intensely that I was terrified but too fascinated to look away. The black wolf barked once then hoisted himself up, walking calmly towards me. The russet wolf followed behind him, retracing his steps perfectly, almost like he was learning how to lead a pack properly.

I jumped up, backing away as the huge wolves followed me. I turned around, my back to them, and I sprinted through the mud and rain back to the house. I could hear their pounding feet behind me, the sound getting closer and closer.

I was almost to the house when I lost my footing, my boots sliding through the mud. I hit the ground, and I stumbled down the hill. I heard a loud, protective bark come from lower down the hill and the two wolves' footsteps stopped. Misty ran to meet me and licked my face, trying to comfort me.

My clothing was streaked with mud as I picked myself up, the second outfit ruined by Misty's weird new obsession with the wolves. As much as I knew Misty wanted me to turn to meet her friends, I couldn't. I walked back to the house, all eyes on me, leaving Misty alone to stay to play with her creepy playmates.

I showered off the mud and changed into my comfy pajamas. Misty May had vanished into the woods with her little friends, a repeat performance of the other night. I wasn't going back there. The wolves were wild animals, and I had to keep reminding myself that Misty was tough, and she had come back fine the last time.

I put on the nearest DVD I could find, feeling myself dozing off. I yawned, adjusted my pillow, and fell asleep on the couch, the rain picking up.

* * *

It was much, much later when I heard a few short raps on the door. The TV screen was blue and the rain was pounding on the roof violently. I yawned, stretching, and I got up, pulling my bed-head hair up into a ponytail.

I opened the door, coming face to face with Misty May. She jumped up onto me, her muddy paws setting on my shoulders. She didn't have a leash attached to her collar, and I found it amazing that she had been standing next to the stranger without one. The tall stranger had cropped, black, soaked hair and was wearing only a pair of cutoff jeans and a pair of white, worn sneakers. His eyes were dark brown, a color close to black. Even in the darkness of the night, he was pretty handsome.

"Hey," he said, flashing me a white smile. "Is this your dog? We found her on the outskirts of town eating out of a garbage can. Her tag said-"

"Yes," I said, pushing Misty down. "She's mine. Thank you so much." I said, smiling awkwardly. His smile was pure white, making me forget where I was for a second. "You should come in, it's getting bad out there."

"I'm good," he said, smiling again. "Glad we could find her home."

"Thanks again…?" I asked, grabbing Misty's collar and tugging her inside. She took one look at me and then proceeded to shake out her fur, splattering mud and water all over the walls.

"Embry."

"I'm Alice."

"You have a very…alive dog, Alice." He said, putting his thumbs casually into his jean pockets.

"Thanks," I said, smiling. "She doesn't behave well, but we love her."

He chuckled. "My friend Sam does dog obedience, if you want…I could ask him to help you with her."

I smiled, stepping outside. I left Misty inside, closing the door behind me. "That'd be great, should I call you?"

"Nah," he said, looking down at me. "I know where to find you." He flashed me another dazzling white smile, making me swoon inside.

I nodded, and he started down the porch steps. I waved goodbye, and he turned around to wave back. I watched him climb into a white Toyota filled with teenagers by my driveway, spitting mud and water as it rushed away.

"Who was your friend, Misty May May?" I asked, leaning down to kiss Misty on the head. It was then that I noticed her collar was new, shiny leather, the hook empty of tags. I felt so confused - how could he just know she was ours? It wasn't that obvious, was it? And our house was in scenic middle of nowhere…

Misty's ears perked up, and she ran to the glass door again. This time she was much more quiet, only standing and watching whatever was there. I walked over to the window to see what was making her so excited.

I flicked the porch light on, the soft glow of the porch light bathing the soaking wet lawn. I could see where I had slid on the mud and I could see tons of dog tracks at the bottom of the hill. But I could easily spot what Misty had wanted me to see.

At the bottom of the hill, barely getting grazed by the light, was one of the wolves I had seen earlier. His fur was sopping wet, the grey color darkened. I could see in the faint light that there were dark black spots dotting his back - the wolf from before who loved my tree.

It would've seemed normal, but his eyes met mine, and I knew something weird was up. His eyes were brown, nearly black, reminding me of Embry's immediately. They were fixed on me with a gaze I had never seen directed at me before. I had seen the gaze flashed between my parents, flashed between certain couples at school, and always flashed between my grandparents.

The gaze that you were staring at the love of your life. And coming from a wolf, it was one of the strangest feelings I had ever experienced in my life.

* * *

_I'm trying to find a picture of Alice's house, but I will post the outfits and the picture of the house I have close to it on my profile. Please review, guys! I'm really looking forward to it, seriously! What do you think keeps me awake during my boring school day?_

_~ G T E ~_


	3. Dreams and Jitters

_Hey guys! Sorry for the delay of updates, I like to make sure my story is as grammatically correct as it can before I post. Plus, Rufus and Lily 4ever hasn't gone over this chapter either - I wanted it to be perfect!  
Thanks so much to **she's a wolf girl **and **Vampreader** for your reviews! They make me so happy :)  
Enjoy the story! _

* * *

I had the weirdest dream that night.

It started out normally, just me and Misty May. She and I were running down a road I had never seen before, me in my running sneakers, Misty in her red raincoat.

Suddenly a light drizzle started, and Misty May began running faster. I thought I'd be getting pulled, but in reality, I was pulling her along, my feet pounding at a rough, fast pace. Our feet trudged through puddles and through mud, but we didn't stop.

The clouds began opening up, and we broke into a clearing. The rain felt amazing on my arms, soaking through my hair. I let go of Misty and she ran ahead, jumping around. I danced around, feeling happy and like I belonged here.

I spotted movement in the corner of my eye, and the grey wolf with black spots ran into the clearing, running alongside us. I felt my view change, and I grew taller. My running changed, four feet hitting the ground now, and I felt faster and stronger. The wolf ran beside me, his eyes piercing mine. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, and I laughed. We ran faster, running and running without stopping. There was a feeling deep inside me, telling me that I was born to run beside this wolf, the ground feeling like it was a part of me…

* * *

I jumped awake, rain still pelting outside. The clouds were lighter, but I knew I still had at least a half an hour to sleep. I looked over to see Misty May sitting beside my bed, her ears perked up. She gave me an intense stare, her eyes piercing mine in an almost evil way. She shook her head once, her stare vanishing, and she hoisted herself up, running from my room.

I sighed, slumping back into my fluffy bedcovers. I rolled onto my side, clamping my eyes shut. As much as I wished, though, my body was awake. I felt jittery, a new feeling deep inside of me. It was almost a tugging feeling, tugging me away to an unknown source. I sighed, getting up with a yawn.

* * *

"Crap," I cursed to myself, my books spilling out of my jittery hands. The tugging feeling hadn't eased up at all, and if anything, it had gotten worse, making me jittery. I felt like I wanted to run a mile.

I scooped up all my books, people walking around me in the crowded hallway. A few people didn't see me, stepping too close. I felt a hard foot step on my hand, the sickening crack making my stomach flip.

"Alice, get off the floor…"

I looked up, seeing Bridget, my best friend. Her curly hair was tied into a messy bun and actually looked tame for once. She reached down, grabbing my hand, my broken fingers screaming in pain.

"Sorry, Bridge. I'm all jittery today, I don't know what it is." I nearly dropped another textbook, my whole body jittery and restless. I cringed, my bad hand the one to catch it.

"Did you drink coffee? Or was it a Redbull?" She took a few of my textbooks, noticing my fingers. "And what happened to your hand?"

"My fingers got stepped on," I said, trying to bend the now black and blue joints. "And as for the jitters, I haven't had any caffeine, I promise."

She sighed, shaking her head again. "I'll take you to the nurse, if you want."

"Nah, I'll be fine."

"Alice! Bridgie! Did you guys see the new guy?"

I whipped my head around to see Lara Boutly, a teeny little girl who was known to be a huge gossiper in my school. Her hair was a new color every week. This week it was pitch, black-hole color, a big change from last week's orange. The orangy color still streaked the ends of her hair, making her look like a Halloween pumpkin.

"Oh my GOD! Alice Murphy and Bridget O'Neil! I totally haven't seen you guys in like, forever! Seriously!" She ran towards us, hugging me tightly. She went towards Bridget to hug her, but she put a disgusted look on her face and shook her head.

"Hey, Lara," Bridget said, putting on a nice smile. "I've been busy-"

"Yea, yea, that's great - Alice!! How are you?" Lara ignored Bridget, never liking her much. Bridget wasn't "cool" because her family couldn't afford expensive clothes, and a lot of people made fun of her or didn't respect her. That wasn't why I was her friend though - we had been friends since Kindergarden. "Did you see the new guy?"

"No, I didn't," I said, smirking. Lara grabbed my arm, leading me through the hallway. Bridget was right behind us, Lara not letting her into our little line.

"He is so hot! Tall, muscular…he's got the greatest hair, too! Oh my God, you guys would be like the cutest couple-"

"That's great, Lara," I said, turning to my locker. "I'll see you later, okay?"

"But-"

"Bye!" Bridget rolled her eyes, yelling shrilly back at Lara. "See you at lunch! Text me, like, okay, like?"

I snorted, and Bridget laughed. She grabbed my lock, unlocking it easily. It hung awkwardly by its handle on my locker, swaying softly.

"Should I be worried that you know that?" I took my textbook out of her hand, throwing it into my messy locker. I heard the bell's shrill ring, making me jump. The hallways were emptying, and Bridget and I were the only ones left.

"Sure…I'm totally going to break in and steal your books. Because you know how much of a school freak I am." She took a book from my arm, throwing it on top of my other one. "You honors kids and your crazy amount of books."

"Shut -"

All of a sudden, my mild jittery feeling intensified. My hands started shaking uncontrollably, and my vision clouded. My heart was pounding in my chest, feeling like it was going to burst.

"Alice! ALICE!" I felt Bridget trying to shake me out of it, but I knew it wasn't working. I felt panicked, only making the feeling worse. I dropped to my knees, and I felt myself getting pushed against a locker by Bridge, who was frantically calling for help. My ears were ringing, my body slowly shutting down on me.

"Hey, what's the matter with her?" I felt someone sit next to Bridget, feeling my forehead. The voice was familiar, but I couldn't remember where it was from.

"I don't know, she just started shaking. Should I go get help?" Bridget sounded frantic, and she didn't even wait for his answer. I heard her rubber converse soles slapping on the marble floors, and I was alone with a familiar stranger.

"Hey, hey, shh," the boy's voice said, and I racked my mind trying to find where he was from. "It's okay, Alice, shhh." He held my hand, and I felt calmed. It was unnaturally warm, but it wasn't sweaty or clammy. Its big fingers encased my little ones perfectly, almost like they were made for my hand.

"Your, your hand," I said, trying to choke out words. My body was calming down, the jitters stopping at an impossibly slow pace.

"Alice, Alice, I'm here, shhh." His hand tightened around mine, and I began relaxing. "It's okay, relax."

"Who, who, who are…"

"Shhh. It's not important now. Shh." I felt the stranger fiddle with something around my neck, something cool resting on my chest. I tried to feel what it was, but my arms hadn't calmed down fully yet. The big hand encircled my broken fingers, the heat radiating into them, and I almost felt them healing.

The person leaned over, and I felt a pair of warm lips on my forehead. I sighed, the kiss tingling against my skin. My vision returned, and I blinked to see someone familiar leaning over me.

"Embry?"

"Alice, oh, thank God."

"What are you doing here?"

I pushed him back, sitting myself up. He sat opposite of me, his legs crossed. "I transferred."

"Why?" He stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me up with him. It was then that I noticed he had grabbed my bad hand, and my hands weren't screaming in pain. My joints weren't blue anymore, and I flexed my now-healed fingers. "And how did you -"

He shook his head, silencing me. "It's over, Alice."

"But how did -"

"It's not important," He sighed, walking ahead of me. "You don't need to know."

"But I do, Embry. You saved my life!" I yelled, running to catch up to him.

"Stop being so dramatic." He ignored me, walking even faster away from me. "I'll tell you when you need to know."

"Embry-"

"Alice."

He turned around, his brown-black eyes piercing my blue ones. I gulped, and he could tell I was afraid. His rock hard gaze softened, becoming almost adoring. "I'll see you later, okay?"

I nodded, and he smiled once at me before walking to his class. I stood, motionless, in the middle of an empty hallway.

My hands fluttered to the pendant on my neck, unclasping the chain. I studied the little wolf, his running form carved perfectly in redwood. I smiled, running my fingers over the smooth surface. I clipped him back onto my neck, feeling safe, almost like I was still being protected.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was.

* * *

_I'll post Bridget and Alice's outfits, Alice's including the necklace, on my profile!  
Review/subscribe, please!  
~GTE_


	4. Technology

_Hey! Sorry for not updating in a while - I've been busy! Please enjoy!!_

* * *

"Class, there will be a quiz on Thursday…"

I jotted down my notes, nodding my head like I was paying attention. I just couldn't though.

Embry had left school the day of my attack, but I found up the following day that he had ended up in most of my classes. He tried to sit next to me in most of them, and when he didn't I could still feel his black-eyed gaze cutting into the back of my head.

"…and remember your notes for the notebook check…"

I sighed, purposely dropping my pencil to see if he was still staring. I bent down in my seat, looking backwards while grabbing the smooth wood of my pencil. Sure enough, his eyes were following mine, making me both shudder and sigh.

"…Please remember to review the equations we looked over and do the worksheet…"

He smiled at me, caught off-guard. I rolled my eyes, getting back up to continue writing. My teacher had grown silent, and the whole class was staring at me. I gulped, nodded, and scribbled a few things into my planner.

"Thank you, Miss Murphy. Now, don't forget that…"

We were literally saved by the bell, the shrill ringing bringing relief from my strange, really old math teacher. I jumped up from my seat, disturbing the stack of textbooks and notebooks sitting on the desk. Papers flew everywhere and one of the heavy textbooks fell onto my foot.

"Shit," I muttered, bending down to collect my papers. I pushed them into a pile, grabbing them as neatly as I could. A hot hand landed over mine, grabbing them into a neat stack and putting them back onto my desk.

"Hey," Embry said, grabbing my books. "Need some help?"

"Yea, thanks," I smiled, grabbing one from his hand and shoving it into my tote. He wouldn't let me take the other one, and I scowled at him.

"What's your next class?" He asked, walking out of the classroom. I towed behind him, not wanting to lose my book.

"Uh…tech," I said, trying to grab my book from him. He moved his arm purposely away from me, raising my books too high for me to grasp, and I sighed.

He chuckled, smiling. "Is it any good?"

"The teacher's okay, I guess…not my kind of subject."

"I like tech," he said, smiling. "There's something freeing about wood, you know?"

"No." I rolled my eyes. "I'm clumsy. I shouldn't be allowed near those machines. It's maybe the one subject I'm failing."

"Something tells me today will be different."

"How so?"

"It's the first class where you'll have an amazing tech teacher."

* * *

"The trick is to make it smooth…sand with the grain, Alice."

I sighed, throwing the itty-bitty piece of sandpaper onto the table. "Embry, why don't you do it? How am I going to use this in my life? I'm totally going to need to learn to sand wood in the long run."

He chuckled, picking up the sandpaper and running down his piece of wood. "It's not hard, Alice. Just run the paper parallel to the lines in the wood, see?"

I huffed, grabbing the paper from him. "Making it seem so easy…" I scraped the paper over my wood, purposely ruining it. My teacher saw this, raised an eyebrow, and scribbled a few notes on his clipboard. I hated that clipboard. I wanted to kill that clipboard.

"Relax." Embry eased my block of wood from my hands. He ran it down the edge of my wood and smoothed it out, making it better than it was before. He blew the sawdust off the edge, the fragments blowing into my eyes.

"Ugh," I said, blinking rapidly. "Jerk. Give me that."

"No," he said, smiling. "I need to do this for you while Mr. Clipboard isn't looking."

"I bet he made that clipboard himself."

Embry laughed quietly, hunching over my piece of wood. "I bet he did. It's got his name carved into the back."

"Ha," I said, shaking my head. "Pathetic."

"You calling woodworkers pathetic?" He looked up at me from my piece of wood, sawdust dusting his black shirt.

"Uh…" I felt awkward, exposed. "I guess?"

He reached over, grabbing my necklace. "Do you like this?" He played with it in his fingers, inspecting it. He turned the pendant over, lightly tracing the smooth wood, and I instantly noticed the tiny, curly E carved neatly and beautifully on the back of the wolf's head.

I blushed, turning away from his harsh line of gaze. "Yes. Very much."

He grabbed my chin, turning me to look at him. "Good." He sighed, dropping it back onto my neck. It fell into place, making me feel safe again. "I'll do your project for you, on one condition."

"And that is…?"

"You'll come with me for dinner on Friday. My treat."

* * *

"Quick, Bridge, what do I wear to a totally spontaneous date with a boy I've just met?"

I was standing in the doorframe of my enormous closet, the two doors open wide. My red juke phone was pressed up against my cheek, held in place by my shoulder.

"I don't know. Who is he?" She munched down on something crunchy, making me more stressed.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't eat in my ear, thank you," I said, huffing. "What should I wear…I have nothing."

"Sure," she said, munching louder. "A hundred-fifty square feet of closet space isn't a lot at all."

"Shut up, Bridget. And the food! Stop it now!"

She chuckled, and I could almost hear her smiling. "Fine, fine. What's the temperature? Oh yea, and who is he?"

"Like, -152 thousand degrees below zero…too cold for dresses…"

"Yea, and converse…where is he taking you? And who is he?"

"I don't know! Dinner, apparently." I sighed, flipping through the racks of clothing. I took out a few garment bags, throwing them onto my bed.

"Who is he?" She took a sip of a drink, and I assumed she was watching a movie.

"Bridget! Stop eating in my ear!"

"Sorry…sorry. You should, you know, surprise him." I heard the crinkling of a chip bag and more munching.

"What do you mean?" I unzipped a few of the bags, scowling. The housekeeper had completely rearranged my closet again, shuffling my summer stuff to the front and my winter things to the back.

"Like, don't go by those pre-made, perfectly matched outfits of yours. Mix it up. Be spontaneous." She took another munch of her snacks.

"Stop eating!" I huffed. "I guess…what would you recommend?"

"Hmm…" she said, crinkling the bag up. "Maybe a cute sweater or something. And a hat."

"Beanie?"

"Duhh…no, a baseball cap. And who is-"

"Thanks Bridge!" I yelled, hanging up on her abruptly. I took out a few of my garment bags, pulling out jeans and my favorite sweater. I dug out a beanie and a pretty camel scarf. I clipped on my wolf necklace and left my hair in its natural curl.

I was ready. And extremely excited, even though this was the first time I had ever gone on a spontaneous date.

With Embry. Who I hardly knew.

I sighed, shifting my phone into my pocket. Mom had laid out my jackets, and I pushed most of them aside, none of them going. I stole hers, a pretty blue peacoat, and I ran outside before she could catch me.

I was excited. And cold, but that was beside the point.

* * *

_Please review!  
Oh, and for those who have already read ch. 4 and are seeing me replace it: I updated it a while ago and liked the newer version. Nothing changed, it's just a little tweaked with adjectives and such. Not necessary to read it over if you don't want to!_

_~GTE_


	5. Red Snow

_OMG!!!! THANK YOU GUYS ALL SOOOOO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! YOU MADE MY DAY!!  
Quick reviews = happy author = quicker updates!!!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"No, please Embry…"

"Alice, I promise, I won't let you fall."

I thought I was going on a dinner date. Somewhere quiet, warm, and cozy where I could eat a Caesar salad.

But Embry, athletic Embry, had decided it would be fun to skate first. It was a quick decision. We were literally on the way to a cute little place when he stepped on the brake and turned so abruptly that my face was smushed violently against the window. We traveled across town to this little rink in the middle of nowhere - a place for couples. Everyone who was skating there was either professional or at least a little coordinated. I was neither.

"Can't we just go to dinner? I'm starving…please?"

He gave me a look, tying the final knot in my icky rental-skate laces. "It'll be fun. Please trust me."

I sighed, staring at him. "Fine."

He pulled me up, and I walked clumsily towards the opening of the rink. The Christmas lights strung above the rink twinkled like stars. Clouds were above us, and spicy-smelling pine trees framed the clearing perfectly. He pulled me into the rink, and I slid, falling on my butt into a big pile of slush.

"See why I hate these?" I looked up at him, and his hot hand reached down to grab mine.

"You have to move your feet. Back and forth, alternate them. Glide…easy…" He held my elbows, steadying me. He was wearing a coat, but the nylon surface was so hot it wasn't natural - hotter than fire. I leaned into his hands, the heat welcoming. He carefully pushed me away, and I slid away from him.

"Embry!" I yelled, trying to regain my balance. He glided easily towards me, grabbing my gloved hands. His warm hands enclosed mine like perfect hand warmers, warming my frostbitten hands.

"Relax, Alice." He chuckled, and I looked up at him. "You're not going to die from falling on the ice."

"I don't belong on an ice rink, Embry." He grabbed my shoulders, steadying me. "Maybe one of your old girlfriends, just not me…I'm not graceful on ice. On solid floor, sure."

He chuckled, skating with me. "Trust me, it's taken a long time to get this good."

"Sure." I sighed. I glided with him stiffly, grabbing the wall when I needed to.

"See, it's not that hard." He broke his arms from around me and glided ahead. I trailed behind, my whole body scared to be alone on the slick surface.

I shifted my feet in broader strides, and although I slid, it was a little easier going faster. I spotted Embry ahead, and I glided towards him, right into his chest. He didn't stagger back, but instead wrapped his arms around me. He was warm and soft, making me feel like I was wrapped in a big blanket. His smell was woodsy and nature-y. I smiled, feeling cozy.

Suddenly his arms tightened around me, becoming stiff and scared. I looked up at him, but his face was indifferent and his lips were pressed into a straight line. The wind blew directly into his face, and he seemed to stiffen even more.

"Embry?" His eyes darted away from me, staring at the entrance of the rink. He shuttered, shaking his head.

"Are you hungry, Alice?"

"Starving."

* * *

"I'll have a buffalo burger with a baked potato…and a bowl of lobster bisque. Oh, and a vanilla milkshake."

I raised an eyebrow at Embry, his face perfectly serious as he told his order to the pudgy waitress. She nodded, her face indifferent.

"And you darling?"

I opened the menu, glancing down the list of salads. "What do you recommend?"

"Everything's good here," she sighed, seeming bored.

"The cobb salad. And a coffee."

She wrote down my order and left wordlessly.

"Why didn't we come here in the first place?" Embry asked, relaxing into his seat. He yawned, but he didn't really seem tired.

"Because you…never mind."

"Trust me, I had my reasons taking you to the rink first." He yawned again, but stiffened suddenly. "I did, believe me."

I rolled my eyes, grabbing a roll from the bread basket on the table. "Care to tell me?"

He glared at me, his eyes serious. "Did you have fun at the rink?"

"Yes. But why did you take me there first?" I picked a piece of the soft flesh out of the bread, popping it in my mouth. "You knew I was starving."

"It seemed more fun than just boring old dinner." He was lying. His eyes wouldn't meet mine, even though he knew I was staring at him.

"Whatever."

"It's just better you don't know." He grabbed a roll and munched into it, crumbs scattering the table.

"Okay. I get it." I pulled another soft piece of bread out of the inside of my roll. The silence stretched on, and we continued glaring at each other.

"As much fun as it is staring at you," I said, standing up. "I need to use the ladies' room." I scooted out of the red vinyl seat and walked away from the table.

I entered the small bathroom, but I was greeted with darkness. The room swallowed me like a cave. I fumbled around for the light switch, but the wall was void, empty. I sighed, feeling my way through the room, not only running into the one stall but hitting my head as well.

"Shit," I mumbled, feeling around for the door. I found the cold metal handle, but it was locked. My mind darted to the times in sitcoms that people got locked in the freezers, but I knew that wasn't the case. The bathroom was absolutely normal, spare the darkness.

I pounded a few times on the door, hoping one of the employees would hear me. The bathroom was all the way in the back of the diner near the back door and the kitchen door. My knuckles were just beginning to ache faintly when I heard someone fiddling with the knob of the door from the outside. The door opened, and I was hit in the face with a very sweet smelling perfume.

The teenage girl who opened it was blonde, her hair pulled up in a tight-looking bun. She was wearing the standard diner uniform of a yellow dress and a white apron, but it looked amazing on her, not extremely bad as it had on our waitress. Her face was flawless and innocent, not a blemish or even one blackhead on her nose.

"Oh gosh," she said, grabbing my hand. "That lock still sticks I guess. So sorry." She smiled nicely at me, and I smiled back.

"It's okay," I said, glancing up into her eyes. The were a shocking shade of blood-red, the color creeping me out. Her hand was the opposite of Embry's, the skin hard and cold. "I couldn't find the light switch, either."

"Oh," she laughed, running into the bathroom. "It's right here, see? The - my manager won't put it closer." A soft yellow light illuminated the room for a moment before shutting off, the hallway in darkness.

"Oh," I said, "Thanks for getting me out."

"No problem," she rushed back, smiling nicely. Something about her, though, seemed to make me want to follow her anywhere. She was so welcoming and friendly. "Can I get you a shake or something?"

"I'd prefer a coffee," I said, laughing. "It's so cold - how can you not be cold?"

"Oh, trust me," she said, grabbing my hand. "You get used to it." She grabbed my hand and steered me towards the door I presumed was the kitchen, but I was horribly wrong.

I was pushed through the back door, cold lashing at my face. One street lamp illuminated the back of the diner, the parking spaces already lined with snow. "Uh, Miss…isn't the kitchen back there?"

"Miss?" She laughed. "Funny." Her innocent expression changed quickly as she pulled her hair down. Her hair was long and straight, cascading down her back in a long golden wave.

"Can we go inside?" I asked, trying to pull my hand from hers. Her grip, however, was strong, her nails long and sharp against my sweater sleeve.

"Hah. Braeden?"

I followed her gaze as a man flew over our heads, jumping down from the roof of the diner. I gasped, and I heard the woman chuckle. He landed gracefully in front of us, the balls of his feet making small dents in the pavement. His hair was hidden in a ski hat and he held a drawstring bag over his shoulder. He lifted his head to the wind, inhaling.

"Mystral," He smiled eerily, coming to kiss the blonde woman on her head. "You weren't kidding. This diner has the best food around."

She chuckled, pecking him on the cheek. "She does smell good," she hissed, not letting go of my arm. "But we have to hurry. The place smells of wet dog."

He scowled, but didn't hesitate to grab me away from her, pulling me close. "Hello darling," he hissed in my ear.

"Let go of me," I said, trying to fight his grasp too. Like Mystral, he was stronger than the average human, and his skin was nearly as cold as the wind outside.

"Hah," he said, sniffing my neck. "She's funny, Mys." He pulled my hair, and I nearly screamed from the pain. My scalp felt like it was burning, and I was positive he had ripped my hair out.

"She is," Mystral said, circling us. "Hurry, Braeden."

He didn't hesitate, pulling my hair back even further. I screamed this time, and he pushed me away, throwing me into the diner wall. The bricks were hard, and I knew something was broken. My head was pounding, my whole body screaming in pain.

"Smell that, Brae?" The golden-haired woman asked. She leaned near me, and she inhaled just as deeply as the male did. "Delicious." She leaned down, grabbing a handful of red snow and shoving it into her mouth.

Red snow.

Gross.

* * *

_Please please please review!!!  
Next chapter is being written!!  
~GTE_


	6. Imprintee

_Thanks so much for the great reviews! I hope this chapter isn't too long and...filler-ish. Although it's essential to the story..._

_Review!!_

* * *

"Let go of her!"

I could barely see, my vision clouding. My necklace had fallen off as I flew through the hair, and I could feel my jitters coming back.

The circle of figures within the stripe of trees were shadowed in darkness, barely visible. They were all abnormally tall and looked beefy, even though they weren't wearing coats.

Or shoes. And all but one weren't wearing shirts.

Mystral and Braeden hissed menacingly, trying to make themselves seem more threatening then they were. They backed off, but not before the human-shaped figures stepped out of the treeline, shifting in flashes of bright, flame-like lights.

They emerged, surrounding me and the wall. I recognized them immediately. Chocolate brown, grey with a spotted back, small and grey, dark grey , sandy-tan, russet, and pure black. I watched them line up in their customary v-shape, amazed. Their teeth were bared and snarling, ears flat against their heads.

The wolves from my yard. Misty's playmates.

"Braeden! Finish up!" Mystral pushed Braeden towards me, but the pure black wolf darted out. He grabbed Braeden by the neck, trotting off with his prize. Mystral hissed, but she also was being darted at. She was quicker, dodging every lunge and still guarding me like a prize as the wolves circled her.

The grey one I loved was the most frantic, lunging at Mystral with wild accuracy. She stepped away from me for just a moment, her guard down. I watched almost in slow motion as the russet wolf darted at Mystral from behind, clamping down on the back of her neck in a similar way as the black one had.

My stomach lurched.

And then it was dark.

* * *

"I think she's waking up!"

"Seth! Shut up!"

"But she is! Look!"

"Seth!"

"Leah!"

I opened my eyes to two faces looking at me. They had reddish complexions and black hair, but one's face was distinctly feminine and her hair was shoulder-length.

"Alice?"

I sat up, looking around. My head screamed in pain, and I dropped back into my pillow. Ugh.

"Shh," the girl said, pulling the quilt back up around me. "Thank God you're up. Embry's been worried."

"I'm fine," I said, and she backed off. The younger boy came over, smiling.

"Your dog is really cool," he said, smiling. "Misty, right?"

I nodded, my head pounding. "Yeah, Misty."

"Seth." The girl said, glaring at the boy, Seth.

"Leah." He glared back, a more playful glint in his eye. The two walked over to the small window, talking swiftly and quietly. The girl kept glancing back at me every once in a while, but the boy was focused on the forest outside, snow lightly dusting the leaves.

"Where's Embry?"

They both turned around, almost forgetting I was here. The girl glanced at Seth, who shrugged. She wrinkled her nose, and he shrugged again.

"Uh," Seth said, coming to sit at the edge of the huge mattress I was laying on. "He's on his way?"

I said up, the pain not as severe this time. "Is that a question?"

Leah scowled again, but she shook her head. "He's out with Sam."

"Sam…?"

"Uley." The girl, Leah I guessed, looked at me like I should know him.

I looked up at Leah, feeling concerned and protective. "In the snow? Won't he be cold?"

Seth's eyes got wide, and he glanced at Leah. "Uh…"

"Can you tell me what's going on? Why my head hurts? Why I nearly died last night?"

Leah glanced at Seth, rubbing her hands together. "You have to stay calm, okay?"

"Fine."

"You were attacked to the near death last night." Leah said calmly, inching closer to me on the mattress.

"No shit."

"Relax, okay?" Seth said, looking at me with a concerned look in his eyes. "You were attacked. You almost died."

"I get it. Can you guys explain to me why?"

"You were attacked," Leah said, her face solid, "by vampires."

I snorted, bursting into laugher. I stopped when I saw they were serious, shaking my head and wiping the tears from my eyes. "That's hilarious. Really, it is."

"So funny I forgot to laugh…" Seth murmured, but Leah poked his arm, silencing him.

"She doesn't have to believe us. It would help though." Leah shot me a look, going on. "Those vampires only attacked you because they knew you were property of a Quileute."

"Property?" I shouted, my eyes wide. "I don't belong to anyone!"

"Technically," she said, staring at me seriously, "you belong to Embry now."

"Why would you say that? So I went on a date with him and hugged him! Doesn't mean we're boyfriend and girlfriend!"

Leah rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "You're not his property because of that! You're his imprint!"

I gasped sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "I don't even know what that means. You guys are strange."

"It means," Seth said, "That he saw you one night and realized you were the center of his existence."

"I'm leaving." I sat up abruptly in the bed, the pain in my head screaming. I ignored it, reaching towards my coat sitting on the small dresser. The cobalt-blue coat was splattered with brown blood, and I scowled, disgusted.

My mom was going to kill me.

"We'll buy you a new jacket," Seth said, pleadingly. "Please stay."

I glanced behind me, Seth's face adorable. He looked like a little puppy, his brown-black eyes suddenly huge. He patted the bed next to him, motioning for me to sit down.

"Fine." I said, walking the few small steps to get to the mattress. I sighed, waiting for Leah to jump in and tell me off. But the room was empty, spare Seth and me. Leah had vanished out of thin air.

"Where's Leah?"

Seth laughed, ruffling his hair. "Leah…she's temperamental. It's okay. She'll come back."

"Okay…so you were saying something about imprints? And center of existences?" I looked at Seth's face, so similar to Leah's but different at the same time. Softer. Kinder.

"Quileute guys, we're special. Leah's just jealous," he chuckled, getting up to close the open window.

Wow. I really was blonde.

"So you guys get…imprints?"

"Yeah, we do." He stared out at the window, the snowflakes hypnotizing him. "It's an old legend. Some spirit warrior guy…"

"How do they work?"

"I can't say. I've never had one. All the legends quote old cheesy lines… 'like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time'… blah, blah, blah."

"Weird…"

"Have you felt…sick? Like, not being around him?" Seth seemed curious, and his face was adorable.

I sighed, my hand darting to the wolf pendant. "I did. I got jitters and nearly fainted."

Seth seemed concerned, and I could tell he wasn't just fooling around. "What happened?"

"Embry came. He gave me this." I unclipped the necklace, handing it to Seth. He flipped it around, looking closely at the detail. He turned it over, and I saw his eyes glance over the little "E".

"Wow. Imprint jewelry."

"You've seen this before?"

"Yeah. They're supposed to protect the 'imprintee' when the wolf's away. Every Quileute who imprints has to make one. It's custom." He looked at the little glass beads, smiling. "Quil's was a little bracelet with roughly-made wolf charms. Paul's sucked - he tried to make a wolf but it looked like a demented donkey. Jared's resembled a wolf head. All the imprintee girls like them, though."

"When the wolf's away?"

Seth tensed up, averting my gaze. "I meant when the Quileute's away. Not the wolf. Don't know what I'm saying."

"Yes you do. Spill."

"I don't."

"The why is my necklace in the shape of a wolf? And not a horse or something?"

Seth sighed, looking at me seriously. "I'm not allowed to tell you. Drop it please."

I sighed, complying. "Where's Embry?"

"He's coming back soon. I'm guessing Leah'll bring him back with her."

"Can he tell me about this wolf crap?" I asked, and Seth's reaction was strange.

His little face twisted into a frown, his eyes shifting in and out of focus in a way I had never seen before. He shook his head once, the anger disappearing, and everything seemed normal again. "I think Embry can explain it better than I can."

"Okay."

"You hungry?"

"Extremely."

* * *

_Please review! It'll make your desperate author happy :)_

_~GTE_


	7. Black Wolf Bites

_Sorry for not updating, finals have been brutal! Hopefully the length and the cool things that happen in this chapter are worth it!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Seth had left me alone to change into new clothes, my old ones spattered with dry blood. He told me they were Leah's old ones, explaining how they might be bigger through the door of the bedroom. My t-shirt was neon orange, "Save the Olympic Wolf!" written across the front. The jeans were normal blue, comfy even if they were a bit big.

The house was freezing. I didn't let go of the heavy, ancient quilt covering the mattress, my t-shirt not helping me stay very warm. I pattered through the hallway, my head aching and my body feeling weak.

"Smells good," I murmured, smiling weakly at Seth as I shuffled into the kitchen. He looked out of place in the small, brick kitchen, obviously not the kind of guy who cooked regularly.

"Thanks," he said, laughing. "I burned those two." Seth motioned to two shriveled up eggs, their exteriors butchered and black, and the once-yellow yolks brownish.

"Nice." I walked to the counter, grabbing the coffee pot, and I poured myself a steaming cup of the bitter liquid, adding sugar and milk hastily.

"Well, if this one survives, you can have it." Seth took the spatula awkwardly, scooting it under the egg. The yolk broke, spilling the yellow contents onto the hot surface with a hiss. "Shit."

I laughed, smiling at Seth. "Relax, Seth, it's okay." He smiled faintly at me, apology in his eyes.

Suddenly, the yard outside erupted in playful barks and snarls, and I could see clouds of snow drifting up in puffs through the small kitchen window. I jumped up, running to look, but stopped abruptly, Seth jumping up to block my view.

"Hey Alice."

I raised an eyebrow at Seth, trying to dodge around him. "Hey Seth. How've you been?"

He moved with me, not letting me past. "I've had better days," he said nervously, not doubting that I would hurt him.

"Can you just-"

"Can I just what?"

"Can you move?" I was getting annoyed, and I was sure Seth knew what I was saying.

"What?"

"Seth! Move!"

"Alice-"

"Seth!"

"Hey Alice."

I flipped my head around to see three huge guys standing in the middle of the kitchen like they belonged there. One was Embry - my imprintor, _ugh_ - and the other two were similar looking with longer cropped black hair and russet skin.

"Embry. Hi." I smiled at him, the anger towards Seth dissolving.

"Hey." He seemed relaxed, but extremely tired - his eyes had purple-ish circles rimming them. The two guys beside him flocked to the stove, stealing the shriveled up eggs, the broken yolk of the egg in the pan, and popping three slices of toast in the massive toaster oven. Embry walked over to pour himself a cup of coffee in a white mug with a red inside and a wolf painted on it.

"You look tired."

"I am." He chuckled, smiling at me. "How do you feel?"

"Good," I said, lying. "My head only hurts faintly now." I leaned in to hug him but stopped in my tracks. "Why do you smell like smoke?"

He smiled, hugging me to him. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"But-"

"Have you eaten?"

"No, but-"

"I'll make you eggs," he said, sitting me at the small table. I glared after him, not speaking. "Ugh. Seth! Did you use all the eggs?"

I chuckled, knowing very well that Seth had. Embry scrambled around the kitchen, getting the toast the two burley guys had left behind and buttering it briskly.

"Embry, Seth and Leah told me-"

"Yeah I know," he said sighing. He put the butter knife down and went to join me at the table, handing me a slice of bread. "They said something about imprints, right?"

"Yeah. Were they right?"

Embry gulped down a bit of his coffee, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah," he said quietly, his voice faint. He looked at me, his gaze intent.

I gulped down the toast, my throat suddenly very dry and scratchy. My heart pattered in my chest nervously, and I turned my head away. "Oh."

"Does that make you upset?"

"No," I said, turning to look at him again. "Just…it's weird. Something new."

"You're the only girl who didn't flip." He laughed, brushing my hair behind my ear. "That's actually kinda nice. Leaves a lot of room to explain."

"Explain what?"

"What I am, Alice."

I lifted an eyebrow at him. "You're a Quileute. I know, Seth told me that too."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I am. But that's not all."

"I don't get it."

He dusted off his hands, standing up from the tiny table. "Finish up. Then meet me outside."

* * *

"Why do we need to go out in the cold?"

Embry huffed beside me, taking me in his arms. "It's easier than destroying Jacob's house."

I knitted my eyebrows with confusion, shaking my head. "Whatever."

I was wearing a huge, furry parka, apparently Leah's, and Embry was partly carrying me through the knee-deep snow in the yard. The small clearing was framed by spicy-smelling pines and the snow was falling softly, the ground already frozen and slippery.

Embry scooped me up as we entered deeper snow, placing me on a tree stump. He wasn't wearing a shirt or shoes, and I had to say it worried me. His feet weren't frozen looking, although mine were in two pairs of knit socks and my furry Uggs.

"Stay there."

"Okay," I said, biting my lip.

He slowly unbuttoned the top button of his jeans, and my heart started beating nervously, not wanting him to get hypothermia. "Embry." My voice wavered, breaking the uneasy silence.

"Alice. I'm just going past the clearing, right into the woods, okay?" He looked at me, his black-brown eyes meeting mine, and I nodded. I watched him walk into the woods, his bare feet making out-of-place footprints in the cold mush.

I sat alone on the stump, the quiet eerie. I followed Embry's footprint and other bare footprints, and I noticed how they changed. I saw more footprints near huge snow drifts, but they were more doglike, not unlike the muddy ones I had seen Misty May's wolf friends make.

Why would they be here?

I knit my eyebrows in confusion again, thoughts rushing through my head.

_Wolves at home, wolves at the diner, wolves here…_

Everywhere Embry was, there was somehow a wolf not far behind.

Then it hit me. And at the worst possible moment, too.

A huge wolf bounded out of the woods, straight at me, his gray fur spotted with snow crystals and darker fur. I shrieked, falling off the stump, and began running back at the house. My Uggs were full of snow, my wool socks heavy and wet.

The wolf wasn't far behind, and it caught up quickly. He tackled me, pummeling me into the cold fluff onto my back. The snow fluffed out in clouds around us, the wind whipping it around in cold, frosty drifts.

"Embry?" I asked, glancing up at him under my snowy eyelashes. The wolf licked my face, and I cringed, disgusted. "Blech. Gross!"

The wolf looked hurt, almost like I had hit it. I pushed myself up, scooting up from under the wolf's belly, and brushed the ice off my parka. I ran the short distance to the rocky driveway of the little, red, brick house and marched down it, the wolf not far behind.

I had once had visions of myself and Embry holding a cute little baby, but now the vision had morphed, me petting a little puppy with black fur spotted with my blonde hair.

_Ugh._

"Alice!"

I turned my head briefly to see Embry following, and I huffed, but didn't stop. He was wearing a pair of gray sweatpants. How ironic.

"How could you keep this from me?" I hissed, turning to walk backwards. "You think I would just accept this?!"

"I couldn't tell you right away! We can't let the secret get out, Alice! And if I told you right away, you'd be weirded out or something! I can't let this get out! We only tell those who absolutely need to know." He smiled at me, laughing. "You should be flattered."

"Flattered?!" I yelled, and he recoiled at my voice, cringing. "You think I'd be flattered to find out that my boyfriend was a werewolf?"

"Boyfriend? Wow." His smile was smug, like he was staring at a kid having a tantrum.

"Embry! Sure, I like you. But that was before I found out you were some sort of movie monster!"

He cringed, hurt flashing before his eyes. "I'm not a monster, Alice!"

"Sure! Men who magically transform into pretty little doggies at night is totally normal! Do you howl at the moon? Do you hate silver? Huh?" My hand flashed to my silver stud earrings, and I was about to flash it at him when he stopped, grabbing my arm.

"Alice! Please! It's not bad! We're wolves to protect the locals from threats. Like vampires. If we hadn't been there, you would've died that night!"

I pulled away from him, grabbing my hand back. "It doesn't change what you are! You're still a monster! You still are some strange creature that will never, ever be the same as me! I wanted a normal guy! Not some that'll make my babies into puppies!"

His eyes flashed with hurt for a short moment before he screamed back, "Fine Alice! If you can't accept who I am, don't bother coming back!"

Hurt flashed through my body, burning violently. We stared at each other for a minute, his eyes glazing over, a look I had seen on Seth's face that morning. His face twisted into a frown of fury before his eyes grew soft again. He exhaled violently, and I screamed fiercely before turning on my heel to face away from him, stomping down the driveway loudly.

The ice on the road thickened as I neared LaPush, and I had to grip tree branches and the guard rail to keep my balance. My Uggs slid easily on the slick surface, the traction poor. I lost my footing a few times, my butt and Leah's fluffy parka slick and wet.

I was halfway down the busy road, the cars speeding by with chains on the tires clanging, when I saw a huge, black blob emerge from the woods. My eyes tried to focus on it, but my contacts were long gone and my glasses were at home. The shape morphed as I got closer, taking the shape first of a bear and then of a huge, black wolf, reminding me of Embry.

Embry. _Ugh._ My heart pattered unevenly, pain piercing it hardly.

_Embry. _I had screwed up so badly.

The wolf noticed me, his tongue lolling happily at me. He ran up to me, but I shrieked, running away. He followed playfully, obviously thinking I had accepted Embry and was cool with the whole wolf thing.

"No! _No!_ Bad! Go home, fat head!"

The wolf stopped, his face confused. His black eyes were smiling, and he chased me off the road and on the shoulder, the snow brown from the snowplows and their salt.

"Seth? Leah? Whoever you are, please go!"

The wolf barked out a laugh, thinking I was playing. I ran, focusing on getting away from the creature that could surely kill me. My Uggs slipped on the slick, icy road, and I fell, sliding in the salty gravel of a snowy road on my face.

I heard a loud bark behind me, chained-tires squealing, and a sharp, agonizing pain centered in my ankle. My body was pulled by my screaming ankle off the road, picked up by my middle, and dropped, sore and bleeding, in the cold fluff off the side of the road, the smell of spicy pine trees strong and comforting.

_What happened?_

* * *

_Please review! I stayed up late today (my last day of school before vacation officially starts!) just for you guys. _

_Just wanted to say R.I.P. to both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Don't care if you hate 'em, just deal that I'm putting this in here. They'll both be missed!_

_~GTE_


	8. Adelaide

_Thank you so much for the reviews and story alerts! You guys make me super happy :P  
Enjoy and don't forget to review!_

* * *

I couldn't open my eyes. Everything hurt too much.

_What happened?_

"Alice?"

Colors and stars swirled behind my eyes, convincing me that I was dead and gone to heaven.

But even heaven wasn't this painful.

"Alice, please wake up!" The voice above me sounded strained and desperate, confused. "Ugh. Alice, please!" Whoever owned the new voice started shaking me softly, desperate to wake me.

"Crap," the voice said, noticing my raw ankle, my Ugg and socks torn right through like paper. The hot hands turned it over, pressing at the wounds. I winced, and he noticed.

"Alice?" he shook me again, and I opened my eyes.

"Ugh. What happened?" I tried sitting up out of the fluffy, cold snow, but my head was pounding, the old vampire injuries made fresh again.

"Alice, oh, thank God." I recognized the man as one of the burley guys from before who had stolen my egg. "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy," I said, rolling over so I was on my side in the fluff. I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes.

"I'm going to go get Embry-"

"No," I said, and the man looked at me sternly. "He and I got into a fight. Can you get me to the hospital?"

"But he's your imprintor," he said, his eyebrow raised. "You and him are tied together now by the passion of your love."

I laughed hysterically, standing up. Snow flooded through my sock, the cold frost burning my wound. I winced, nearly falling over.

"Alice," the man said, catching me. "Please just come with me back to Embry. It would save us both a lot of trouble."

"No." I pushed away from the confused stranger, turning on my good heel. I trudged out of the snow, making my way to the road.

* * *

"You had quite the fall there, didn't you?"

_Try not to stare, try not to stare…_

"Yeah, I did. I don't even remember what happened."

I had managed to find the nearest hospital in the tiny town that wasn't full of Quileutes, a generic hospital in the closest town, Forks. The only doctor on duty was an amazingly handsome man, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, and I was finding it hard to look away.

"Do you mind?" The doctor's golden eyes met mine and he held my foot, motioning to take my Ugg off. I nodded, and he took the boot off, peeled back my two socks, and cringed at the bloody ankle that lay behind the wrapping.

"Wow," he said, looking at it carefully. "Were you attacked? A bear?"

"Maybe, I don't remember." I looked away from my ankle, my stomach turning. I was glad inside that I had left the Quileutes; the danger of getting bitten again was too great.

"Hmm," he said, grabbing a gauze pad and soaking it in what smelled like alcohol. He pressed it to my ankle, and I hissed in pain. "Might be broken. We need x-rays."

He left for a minute, going to probably find a nurse. I sighed, rubbing my forehead and fiddling with my gravel-caked hair. Ugh. Why is it that I always find something to break or hurt?

"Alice, can you walk?" The doctor returned with a pair of silver crutches, eyeing my ankle suspiciously. He dropped the crutches by the door, coming over to help me. He wrapped my wound in a brace and grabbed the crutches, helping me get into the rhythm as I made my way to the x-ray ward.

* * *

"Adelaide, how the hell did you end up in Forks?!"

I sighed, pressing the pay phone up to my ear. "I don't know, Mom. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?!" She hissed, yelling. We live in Oregon, darling! Pendleton is over 400 miles away! What the hell, Adelaide?!"

"I'm sorry, Mom. Really, I am." I fumbled with the phone, reaching down to scratch my ankle. The bone had been slightly broken, and a bright pink cast was encasing my foot.

Lovely. Pink had always been my favorite color.

"Adelaide Philomena Murphy, you are dead when you get home. Dead. Get it? Dead."

I sighed, my crutches falling to the linoleum hospital floor with a loud clang, nurses rushing to help me get them. "I get it, Mom. I'll be home as soon as I can."

She grumbled, murmuring an I love you before hanging up on me.

I limped on my crutches to the curb of the hospital, a bright yellow taxi waiting for me. I dug into my pockets, my purse still at the house in LaPush, and I came up with $10. I smiled at the driver, but he shook his head, and he said $10 would buy me a trip to LaPush.

Great.

* * *

The cab driver dropped me off at the little red house, and I gave him every cent of that bill. He took it greedily, but I didn't mind. I was just running into the house to get my bag and leaving as soon as I could.

I opened the door, finding it unlocked, and I ran to the small bedroom, grabbing my bag and whatever cash was left in the blue peacoat. I was about to scurry out the doorway to catch another cab when I ran into a hot, hard chest.

"Alice!"

I looked up at the face of my barrier, recognizing the face of one of the other big guy from the kitchen. He was shirtless and shoeless, and looked surprised to see me.

"Embry's been looking for you everywhere!" The boy smiled sheepishly at me, laughing. "He told us if we saw you to tell him, do you mind?"

"Yes!" I yelled, pushing him out of the way. "Embry's a nice guy. But this nice thing is getting out of hand." I went to the kitchen, grabbing a fresh pair of socks from the laundry basket now sitting on the table. "I'm getting a bit weirded out and I need my space, okay…?"

"Jacob."

"Jacob. Now I would like to just get home."

I was about to leave when his soft voice stopped me. "You don't need to call a cab. You can borrow my car and I'll drive it home when you're done."

"But…" I wracked my mind, really having a blonde moment. "Oh. Right. Wolf thing."

He chuckled, leading me outside through the snow. "My Rabbit's like my baby. Be careful with her." He tossed me the keys and I got inside the car, the engine starting with a low rumble. I watched Jacob phase, running alongside me. He motioned with his head, guiding me home.

* * *

"Grounded! For a month- no, two months! No parties, no nothing! And no presents-"

"Ashleigha, please. Her presents are already bought. And she's home safe, right?"

"But James, she ran away! And nearly got herself killed!"

"Mom, I-"

"No talking, Adelaide!"

"Mom, it's Alic-"

"Adelaide Philomena Murphy!"

"I'm sorry! God…"

I wasn't dead exactly.

Yet.

"Ashleigha, calm down. She's fine now, isn't she? Home with her family in time for Christmas." My Dad winked at me, smiling.

My Mom huffed, pacing around the kitchen table nervously. "Adelaide, you'll be home for Christmas. Forget Laura's party. Grounded. Two weeks. Fair enough?" I nodded curtly, sighing, and she broke into a big smile, reaching to hug me. "I'm so glad you're alive. A car accident is a serious thing, young lady. And a bear! I'm so happy you're alive. We're lucky we didn't lose you."

I smiled, leaning stiffly into her hug. My mom was a woman who meant business, her fancy Social Worker job making her extremely serious and protective about her children. When I was little I was never let out of her sight, and when I did I was scolded about the dangers of running away. Now that I had been absent for over 12 hours, destroyed her peacoat, and nearly gotten myself killed, I just got grounded.

Whoop-de-doo.

We never had the classic mother-daughter relationship she now had with Adrianna and Mikayla. From day one she had been "Mom" and not "Mommy". She was too busy with work, and I chalked it up to her job being more important than me. She told everyone when I was born that my name was Adelaide Philomena, with no made-up variations. It was no surprise that on my sixth birthday my only wish was to be called Alice, and she got me another doll with a colorful sequined dress.

My Dad was the exact opposite. I gave a new meaning to "Daddy's Little Girl." I got everything I wanted, including the attention my mother never bothered to give me. I can vaguely remember putting a big hat on him and making him play tea party with a cute, one-year-old Adrianna, and a five-year-old me. He gradually drew back when the twins were born, giving him a son, James II, but he always seemed to love me more than my mom.

My mom released me from her arms, her lips pursed. She sighed. "You need to be more careful, Adelaide. You are dismissed to your room. Goodnight."

I sighed, internally hating her formal dismissal. She only did that when she was seriously pissed.

* * *

_Pictures of Alice's (or Adelaide's, but she'd probably be pissed if you called her that) parents are on my profile :)_

_Review!! They make me happy and smiley for the day!_

_~GTE_


	9. Navy Blue Bangs

_Hey guys! Sorry for the wait - I've been so busy lately with school ending! Here's my latest update, and I hope you like it!_

* * *

I had another dream that night. I was running. And fast.

A huge, grey, spotted wolf padded on beside me, barking at me with a silly look on his face. I was running equally fast, my feet hitting the snow with light thuds.

Suddenly the wolf changed, his face morphing. He shrunk slowly, four legs changing to two. I did the same, and he was still taller than me. He ran to me, cupping my face in his hot hands tenderly.

It was perfect. The dream was beautiful. We were together, surrounded by nature and cold snow. I could hear the birds singing, nature stirring around us, waking up together.

A bird landed in front of me, her brown coloring dowdy and plain. She looked up at me, a funny expression on her face. She opened her tiny beak, her expression peculiar.

* * *

"Adelaide! Adrianna! School! Now!"

I groaned, lifting my aching head from the feather pillow. Mom didn't know that I was in such pain. She thought I just had a broken ankle and not a healing broken heart.

Melodramatic, I know. Kill me.

"Yes Mom!" I heard Adrianna's little feet pattering next door, her excited, peppy behavior hilarious. Six AM on a Tuesday, which were sometimes even worse than Mondays. Maybe she was excited we had break in a day or two. Big whoop.

I sighed, pulling myself out of bed and instinctively grabbed my silver crutches, leaning on them for support as I pulled my hair up. I limped to the staircase, sitting on my butt and dragging myself down.

"Adelaide, are you going to school today? Or are you planning to stay home?" Mom looked up at me, her hands busy buttering a piece of toast for little Jamie.

"Yeah Mom, I'm going," I said, grabbing a bagel and popping it in the toaster.

"Remember to clean the bathrooms upstairs. And your room needs straightening up, too."

I glared at her, but she was too interested in packing Adrianna's lunch. The silence in the kitchen grew uncomfortable. I looked away, but I knew it was my mother's turn to glare at me, her beady brown eyes burning the back of my head.

"Did you know," Adrianna said, breaking the silence, her nose popping up from one of Mom's health eating handbooks, "that one bagel equals about four servings of bread? Really, really bread-y."

I smiled at her, grateful for breaking the silence. I grabbed my bagel and slapped raspberry jelly on it, munching the crunchy bread hungrily.

"I wasn't aware you could stop using your crutches after three days, Adelaide."

I glanced at my mother, a stern look on her face. I put my bagel down, making eye contact. She pursed her lips as she put a peanut butter sandwich in a paper bag for Adrianna, glancing down at my crutches, dormant on the floor, as she did.

"Um…"

I really had forgotten them. My leg wasn't screaming in pain like it normally did. And the doctor said I needed two weeks before the pain would even be bearable. Strange.

"It'd be in your best interest to pick them up and continue using them until that doctor in Forks says it's okay," Mom spat, and I sighed. She always spoke like she was writing a formal letter.

"Sorry." I grabbed the silver handles, limping out of the kitchen before my mom could throw the butter knife at my head.

I grabbed the crutches and walked upstairs, grabbing every handle up the spiral staircase to get to my room. The stupid crutches got in the way, making it more difficult than it needed to be, and I impatiently threw them up the stairs. I heard a loud boom, and when I went to investigate, the rubber end of the crutch had made a big hole in the drywall.

Oops.

* * *

"Where were you? I mean you could've called me, Alice."

"I'm sorry, Bridge. I seriously forgot." And I lost my cell phone to a few vampires. No big deal.

"What the hell happened to you? What did I miss here? Your walking with crutches and all bruised and you say it was fun?"

Tons. I also got attacked by a wolf.

"I was ice skating. I landed the wrong way. Sorry for not telling you."

Bridget sighed, dropping my books in my locker. "It's cool. It's good it wasn't anything serious."

I sighed, turning on my crutches to look at her. "Yeah. It's all good."

"So when were you planning to tell me about you being attacked by a bear?"

I froze, biting my lip. "Excuse me?"

She fake-smiled, dropping all my books on the floor. "You can get those." I glared at her as she skipped away, her hand waving childishly at me.

Sure I loved Bridget. But she got really annoying.

I struggled with the crutches, dropping one then the other. I kneeled, grabbing my books carefully, placing them in my locker

"Oh my God! Alice? What happened to you?!"

I turned around, Laura Boutley and a few of her friends staring at me with a horrified expression. Laura's hair was platinum blonde, cut shorter and with choppy bangs, trying to pull off a bad posh cut. A thick streak of navy blue ran through the blonde fringe, serving as a declaration that she wanted blue Christmas presents this year at her party.

Which I wasn't going to.

"I broke my ankle," I said, smiling sweetly. "I went ice skating with a friend."

Laura's best friend, Maddie Louis, a brunette whose hair had been recently chopped off - no doubt by Laura -, reached down to take my hand, pulling me up. Another girl, Abby Peters, her hair long and jet black, grabbed my crutches, while Laura grabbed the books that were fallen on the floor. Both of them had blue streaks on the ends of their bangs.

The sign of a Laura follower - a fellow gossiper. And also advertising the special color for the party.

Which I wasn't going to.

"Ooh," Maddie said, smiling, poking me in the ribs. "What kind of friend?"

"Yes, Alice," Laura said, her face suddenly interested, "do you have some sort of secret boyfriend? Do tell."

I raised an eyebrow, looking at Laura in her mud-brown eyes. "My sister. My mom made me go with my sister."

"But you said friend…" Abby said, her eyebrow raised too.

I sighed, raising my arms. "It's not exactly cool going ice skating with your sister for her birthday party. Telling people you went with a friend is a bit better, you know?"

"I guess," Maddie said, handing me my books. "See you later, Alice."

* * *

"Ugh. Misty. Why me? Tell me, why?"

She looked up at me from the snow, her eyes smiling.

I hated snow.

And the cold.

And big-ass wolf paw prints that circled my house, eventually morphing into human ones that disappeared into the forest.

"Why does he care so much? Is it this imprint thing?" I thought aloud, Misty sniffing around. She didn't want to be out here, but my mother had discovered a few early Christmas presents in her good heels, getting mad.

"Misty, why? Ugh. Get busy, my cast is getting cold."

She sniffed at the footprints, not at least interested in what I was saying.

"I don't get why he'd care. I yelled at him. Ugh. He's so annoying. Never get a boyfriend, Misty."

She looked at me, her nose covered with snow. I couldn't help but laugh.

Her ears suddenly pricked up, her head turning to the forest. I followed her gaze, a big, dark figure right beyond the trees. She wagged her tail, excited to see her friend.

I bit my lip, staring angrily at where the wolf's eyes would be. "Come out, Embry. I know that's you."

The wolf didn't budge. Misty whined, and I tapped her on the back. She looked up at me, eager to go meet him.

I sighed, trudging into the forest slowly, my cast feeling frozen and heavy, but painless. The wolf met me halfway, phasing into human form.

"Alice?"

"Jacob? What are you doing here?" I released Misty from her leash, and she ran off to sniff her now-human buddy, who was wearing only a pair of cutoff jeans. He knelt down, ruffling the soft fur on her head.

"Just thought I'd drop in. Make sure you weren't getting killed or anything. How's the leg?"

"It's okay," I said, scratching the uncomfortable cast. "I threw the crutches upstairs yesterday and left a huge hole in the wall."

He chuckled, smiling warmly. "Oh, and Embry says hi."

I looked down at the ground, the conversation taking an odd turn. "Oh. Cool."

"You know, he really misses you," Jacob said, a worried smile plastered on his face. "He's almost in as much pain as you are."

"Pain?"

"Yeah. You're his imprint. It hurts imprintors physically to not be around their imprints." He sighed, looking at the ground. "I'm in pain right now, being away from Renesmee."

"Who?"

"Never mind. The point is, you need to see him before he commits suicide." Jacob's face was 100% serious, and I sighed.

"Fine. I'll go. But not until Saturday. I'm grounded already, and it'll be a nice Christmas Eve surprise."

Jacob smiled, reaching out to shake my hand. "Good. See you then."

He turned around, running into the forest before I could even say goodbye.

* * *

_I hope you guys had a great Fourth of July! Please read and review :)  
~GTE_


	10. Paper Packages

_Hey guys!  
I'm sorry for the long wait, but I hope this chapter is worth it!_

* * *

"Adelaide, I thought you already bought your presents."

My mother arched an eyebrow at me, her mouth pressed into a hard line from behind her fresh copy of Seattle Times. She sat behind her mahogany desk, everything in perfect place. Her full name - Ashleigha Patricia May-Murphy - was engraved in gold on a wooden plank, perfecting her look of big, important manager.

"I got most of them, Mom. I still need to get one for Bridget and Laura," I said, the words tumbling out like they were true.

Well, they partially were.

She put her newspaper down on her desk, taking her glasses off swiftly. "You know the conditions of your grounding, young lady. I already told you, two weeks. Your break starts after Friday, what's the point of getting presents now? Plus you aren't even going to that stupid Christmas party."

"But Mommy," I said, pouring on the sugary-sweet voice I knew she hated - but she always gave in when Adrianna used it. "I feel like I need to get her something. And if I don't get anything for Laura, I still need to get something for Bridget! She's my best friend!"

"Stop acting childish. You know the rules."

I sighed, wracking my brain for tactics. I smiled to myself, the thought popping up instantly. Perfect. "You wouldn't do that, Mom."

"Why wouldn't I, Adelaide?" She raised an eyebrow, looking very annoyed. Her reading glasses had somehow made themselves back to the tip of her nose, and she had yet another excuse to take them off like a fancy manager. Her lips were pursed, waiting to shoot down my next proposal.

"Because if you lock me up for two weeks, I'll be neglected. And alone."

She froze, her hard eyes softening for a moment. They solidified faster than I imaged. "You won't be neglected. Dad'll be home. Don't be stupid."

"You think I'm best friends with Dad? Mom, I have three siblings. He has to take care of them."

"Fine," she said, glaring at me. "One day. This Saturday, 5:30 to 8:30. That's it." She punched a few keys on her Mac, and the tiny printer spit out a neat document. "Sign. On the line. Neatly, please."

I grabbed her fancy wooden ink pen - just another thing her name had an excuse to be engraved in. I smiled harshly at her, my nosed wrinkled. I grabbed the pen awkwardly, the weight awkward, and I purposely signed it messily, leaving huge ink spots on the paper and all over her lovely little name tag. "Thanks Mom!"

I ran from her office, ignoring the screams and yells from my annoyed mother. I had agreed. And she had a crisp paper document to prove it.

* * *

"Just knock, you softie."

"Shut up, Jacob."

I stood awkwardly in front of the little brick house, shuffling my one, white boot in the cold snow covering the small, concrete porch. Jacob stood beside me, his eyes laughing.

"Oh right, this is my house." He pushed past me obnoxiously, making me nearly fall over. He unlocked the door and ran right through the tiny home, forgetting the welcome mat, tracking icy slush on the wood floors.

"Jacob!" I hissed, limping in after him. My present was locked under my arm in a death grip, the brown paper worn at the corners of the box. I had drawn an intricate design on the top of the box, serving as a replacement for a bow I couldn't find. "Don't you dare!"

"Embry!" Jacob's voice boomed through the house, awakening everyone who had been sleeping in the floors above. "Your girlfriend's here!"

I scowled to myself, stopping halfway through the entryway. I hesitated, stopping to close the door - the chill would probably only effect me, but whatever.

"Are you another imprint?"

I whipped my head around, my body following clumsily after it. A small child, not much older than six years old, was sitting on the carpet of the living room, stacks of shiny, new Nancy Drew books enclosing her in a cage. Her eyes were a mesmerizing shade of chocolate brown, her long, loose red ringlets framing her face perfectly.

"Um…"

"I know you are." She stood up, holding up her tiny finger. "I am one too."

I looked in, noticing the intricate carving of the tiny ring. Tiny wolves raced in circles, entwined with branches and small snowflakes, licks of flame dancing underneath the paws of the graceful animals. It fit her small finger loosely, hopefully so she could eventually grow into it. "I think I might be one too."

She chuckled, bounding up off the floor in a graceful leap. "I'm Renesmee. But you can call me Nessie."

I smiled at her, marveling how the wolves could imprint on anyone at any age. "I'm Alice."

"I know."

"Oh."

"Oh, no, no. I just assumed. All the guys have been talking about this blonde girl, Embry especially -"

"I see you met Renesmee."

I turned around to see Embry leaning casually against the wall of the mudroom, his eyes cold. He held a small box wrapped in red paper, a green bow stuck on top. His hard eyes darted to my cast, softening to the brown-black I knew.

"Hi." I fumbled with the rough, brown box, the contents tumbling inside. My eyes were glued to the floor, not daring to meet his probably mad ones.

He reached me in two big bounds, his muscular arms wrapping around me tenderly. "You don't know how worried I've been."

I pulled away, tilting my head upwards to look into his gorgeous eyes. "You aren't mad?"

"Why would I be mad?"

"Because I screamed at you."

"You had every right to. I'd have been scared if you didn't have a breakdown." He leaned down, kissing my forehead.

"But-"

"Relax." He leaned down, hugging me tightly, his woodsy smell engulfing me like the aroma of a scented candle - evergreen and a bitter icy smell. "You didn't understand it. Kim had a worse reaction than your's. It was only natural."

I smiled up at him, and he looked down at me adoringly.

"Ahem."

Embry looked away from me, staring at Renesmee. I turned around, seeing the little redhead smiling innocently at Embry.

Embry sighed, letting go of me quickly. "Beat it, half-breed."

"Make me, you lovesick puppy dog."

He growled playfully, running to scoop Renesmee up in his arms. He held her by her ankles, ignoring her giggles and shrieks, and twirled her around the small room. I laughed, wishing my own siblings were more like the playful child. Adrianna was in her I-love-reading-and-won't-do-anything-else stage, while both Jamie and Mikayla were too young to play with.

"Put her down already!" Jacob raced into the room, grabbing Renesmee mid-spin. He cradled her close to him, whispering soothing words, and she pressed her hand to his cheek. His eyes glazed over for a minute, and he smiled, reaching to grab her coat.

"I'm taking her outside. Maybe you guys should have some fun time alone." Jacob wiggled his eyebrows. Embry grabbed a pillow from the couch, throwing it and just narrowly missing Jacob's head as he ducked outside the door. Embry scowled, glanced my way once, and when I nodded he darted up, running as fast as he could after the two.

I smiled, shrugging my sweatshirt off. I stared awkwardly at the carpet, grabbing a Nancy Drew book off the floor. The yellow, glossy hardcover read _Number 69, Clue in the Ancient Disguise_. A few indents in the cover jutted out, and I opened the cover to reveal a message, pressed hard in black pen into the soft paper.

_Nessie,_

_This is the 69__th__ poem I had to write today. I've also broken about seven pens. But you are worth it. _

_**Your hair is red,**_

_**Your eyes are brown,**_

_**You are the prettiest girl around.**_

_Love, _

_Jake._

I smiled, picking up the next few glossy books. Each one had an inscription followed by an amateur poem, and I smiled at the kind side of Jacob. He had told me he cut his hand on a shard of glass, trying to seem a bit cooler, but I really knew it was from the outer plastic of a pen. Black splotches dotted the pages, some of them still shiny and fresh.

I was shot out of my reverie by the sound of loud, playful barks from the yard, and I naturally darted to the window, my curiosity getting the better of me.

The early morning sun just barely revealed three wolves, their barks soft and playful as they galloped gracfully across the white landscape. The pretty, graceful, little gray wolf barked, biting at the sandy one's face and only grabbing onto snow and air. A golden-brown one, one I had never set eyes on before, was nipping at the other two's heels, and the sandy wolf nipped back. I spotted another wolf, a tall, black wolf, watching the three playing from atop a large hill. I shuddered, his stern gaze meeting mine. After a few seconds, the wolf sighed, the steam of his nostrils clouding the cold air, and he turned away, trotting into the dense, snowy woods.

The wolves had disappeared when I finally looked back, but the footprints showed that they all had gone towards the side entrance of the tiny brick home. I sighed, knowing I'd be greeted soon enough.

"Alice! You did come!" I jumped, feeling myself instantly engulfed with hot arms, and Seth pulled me to his chest, suffocating me.

"Hey Seth. Good to see you too." I squeezed him briefly, breaking away before he was ready. Hurt flashed behind his eyes for a minute, but he spotted the present still under my arm and broke into a smile.

"That little present wouldn't be for me, would it?" He smiled, his eyes hopeful and big. He grabbed the gift from me, shaking it roughly.

I wrinkled my nose, snatching it back playfully. "No Seth, it's not for you. It's for Embry. Have you seen him?"

Seth's brown eyes glanced at the ceiling, concentrating. He grinned at me awkwardly, his brown eyes meeting my blue ones. "I think I saw him with Jacob and Nessie."

"Thanks."

He smiled, putting his hands in his pockets. "No problem." He glanced down, spotting my neon sign of a cast. "Can I sign?"

I chuckled at him, nodding. "Sure. Your friends can, too." I walked feebly back to the couch, plopping down. I propped my cast on an ice-blue pillow, and Seth produced a pen, signing his name on the tip of my toes. Leah and another boy, probably the golden-brown wolf I had seen, came from the mudroom, laughing happily, and they too came over to sign my cast.

"Did it hurt?"

I glanced over at the boy, who was signing his name messily near my big toe. He smiled awkwardly, and I sighed. "Of course it did. I'm not some super-girl. Really."

"You aren't? You think you would with all the injuries you've been getting. You seemed to have recovered quickly." The boy, Jared, stared at me with a puzzled look on his face, his deep green eyes mesmerizing.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "No. I'm human. I'm not a wolf. I can't heal instantly, you silly doggie you."

I flicked the top of his nose, making him scowl. Leah chuckled, smiling a strained smile. She grabbed the black sharpie from Jared and leaned down to sign her name near my little toe. She smiled at the result, looking up to smile at me. I examined her name, the tomboy cursive suiting her.

Leah's small smile vanished as she looked up suddenly, turning to look towards the side entrance of the house. Seth's gaze followed hers, a small whimper escaping his lips.. Jared looked up, and he too was glued to the entrance of the mudroom. The shape of a huge man was visible in the faint light, and I knitted my eyebrows together, not knowing what was so interesting about him. The man entered the room, and the trio followed his every move, silent as statues.

"Leah. Jared. Seth."

Leah nodded quickly, pride flashing across her face from being called first. "Sam." Leah and Jared got up swiftly, and Seth followed after the stranger, Sam, like a lost puppy following his master. The three ran up the stairs to the kitchen, their whispers hissing in my ears as they left.

_Sam. _Where did I remember him from?

As if on cue, images flashed before my eyes uncontrollably. My own memories burned me, my vision clouding, my spine shuddering. I heard myself scream, the sound echoing eerily off the brick walls. Cars, gravel, ice, torn socks, a big wolf, Embry's hugs, bandages, my pink cast, falling…

My body seared with burning anger, my fingers shaking in an odd seizure. My crutches fell from the side of the couch, and I hopped up, no pain coming from my cast. I shook violently, my vision flashing from color to sepia to grayscale. I fought with it, but it was stronger, taking me away from the sanity I was used to.

The last thing I remember was someone tackling into my lower abdomen - hard. Flashes of light burned the living room, reflecting off the walls, and I could see white fur in the faint light.

And the world went black.

* * *

_Chapter 11 is already started, and I promise I'll have it out sooner! Review please - it'll speed up the process for me :)  
I have pics of Renesmee and how I picture Jake's house with me, and I'm working on getting them up on my profile - look for them soon!_

_~GTE_


	11. Blinding Lights

_Hey guys! Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been focused on my newest story, Impossible. Take a look if you'd like, especially if you're a fan of the vampires._

_Enjoy!_

* * *

"I think she's fine. Just leave her be. Embry'll get her."

"You can't seriously be that selfish, Sam. She has no idea what you've done to her."

"But I don't even know either. Just leave her be. She should be fine. Embry will be here soon."

I didn't dare open my eyes. But why was I in a desert? It was just so hot…

"But Sam-"

"Leah!"

A soft whimper. Footsteps. Crunching of snow.

Snow? Snow wasn't hot. Ever.

I sat up slowly, finding myself in the middle of the backyard clearing. I shook my head, my once-contained, now icy locks spilling down the front of my body. I blinked rapidly, the snow still white, the trees still a lovely green.

What happened?

I stood up shakily, shaking my head again. I looked down, making sure I wasn't sitting in the hot spring my body felt to be in.

No. I was wearing a long, white sundress, the straps stringy. The hem on the delicate cotton was torn slightly, blood dotting the wet fabric in bright red spots from my thighs down. I sat all alone in the snow, the sky a bluish grey, the snow still falling lightly. My cast was gone, my once swollen and bruised ankle perfectly healed, the muscle taught and strong.

I blinked rapidly, hoping that I was dreaming. I touched my ankle, all traces of injury gone. The skin was burning. I was sure to have a fever, alone in the cold, my feet bare. I cursed the wolves for the stupidity of leaving a poor human alone in the cold, minus her once fine boots and good clothing.

I walked to the house, noticing that my feet made perfect little footprints in the snow. Again, a spasm of blinks overtook me, wondering why my feet weren't black with frostbite or shriveled with the cold.

I noticed neon pink strips of plastic darting the snow on the path to the house, the material frayed and broken. I reached down to grab the nearest one, my hand's heat melting the fragile ice crystals away. In clear sharpie, I read the name "Leah" on one, blood dotting the once-clear sharpie. Another pink strip, blood on the frayed edges, read "Jared."

I gulped, the metallic smell of blood hitting my nose potently. I shook my head, my hair flying, and I dropped the shredded pieces, wondering if it was someone else's blood or my own. The smell left as soon as it came, and I continued on towards the house.

I spotted a pudgy face in the frosty window, her little brown eyes the size of saucers in happiness. She shrieked at someone inside the house, pointing rapidly at me in my white. "angel dwess".

I smiled to myself, the little girl somehow familiar.

But she was behind two panes of glass and a layer of frost. How was it possible for me to _hear_ this girl?

Her smiled widened at my surprise, and she disappeared into the house, shrieking for "Qwil!". I sighed, knowing it was probably another wolf. I turned to the front door, reaching gently for the brass handle.

"Stop right there, Alice."

I turned around gracefully, my foot glad to be rid of its cast. I found Jacob leaning casually against a frosty tree trunk, his shirt slashed by what looked like big claws. The white fabric was severely torn and bloodied, hanging by mere threads on his muscular body.

"Jake." I took in his form, cringing at the deep marks on his stomach. "What happened?"

"Hi. It's nothing. You okay?"

I sighed, smiling a faint smile at him. "Yes and no."

"You're confused."

"Of course I am." I picked my feet out of the deep slush, skittering gracefully over the light cover without sinking in. I nearly ran into him, but I stopped myself, crumbling nimbly into the ice at Jake's feet.

He smiled, glancing at my dress. "It's not yours, by the way."

"The blood?"

"Yea. It's both mine, Leah's, and Sam's. A little is Jared's, but we got him out of the way in time."

I knitted my eyebrows together, scrunching up my nose. "But how…"

"You did it."

I gulped, another blinking spasm overcoming me. "Me? Me? But…? What happened? Jake…"

"It's complicated." He sighed, taking his ragged shirt off in one fluid motion. His abs had huge scrapes on them, scabs not yet forming. He scowled in pain, pressing the rags of his shirt to his stomach. "They'll explain inside. I don't have any right to tell you."

"Why?" I jumped up gracefully, turning to look him in the eye.

"I'm not your pack leader."

"What the hell?" I reached him in two leaps, my gaze burning his. "I don't belong to anyone, Jacob. Except for Embry. In a way."

He chuckled dryly, looking away from me. "I didn't 'create' you, per say."

"Create me?" I turned away, scowling. I sunk into the snow again, my head in my hands. I heard him walk over and sink into the snow in front of me.

"Yea. It's complicated. I think Sam should tell you."

I looked up, the blaze of anger starting to flicker up again. "Sam? _Sam?_ That freaky friend of yours who ripped my ankle off?"

Jake looked down into the snow, sighing. "Yea. Him."

I bit my lip, getting up out of the cold. "Do I have to talk to him? Seriously? Can't you just tell me?"

Jake sighed, shaking his head wordlessly. He took the shirt off from his stomach, the scratches pink like old scars. I gasped, but it did clear a lot up. It explained how my ankle had healed so fast.

Wolves healed faster than humans.

Which meant…

No. It couldn't be.

I held the blaze of anger in, my face calm and collected. Jacob still sensed something, maybe my heat burning a bit hotter, and he looked over, his face confused. "You okay?"

I sighed, my breath making steam clouds in the cold air. "I'm good. I'm just going to go speak to Sam-"

Jacob bounded up, grabbing me in a bear hug. "I'm not allowed to let you in unless you are completely calm."

"Why Jacob?" I asked, the fire burning hotter. "Just let me go."

He only gripped me tighter, and I couldn't help but assume he was enjoying my struggling. "I'm just not allowed. Calm down. They'll explain once you're calm, Alice."

I scowled, turning to look up at him. "Let me go, Jacob." My lip curled over my teeth in a snarl, the blaze of anger within me flaring.

"I can't Alice."

"Just do it!" I shrieked, desperate to be free. The fire in me was jumping from its boundaries, flaring up within other parts of my mind. It was overtaking me, controlling me.

"Alice-"

"Jacob!" I snarled, my teeth clenched. "Let me go!" The anger leaped and snarled, burning faster and hotter than before. I struggled, clawing at his arm. My sanity was being burned with the fire, and I was considering abandoning it.

His grip weakened as he let out a low growl, reminding me that I needed to stay calm. The fire only intensified, and I broke free in one push of my strength.

"Ha!" I yelled crazily, turning to face him like a maniac. "Guess you aren't strong enough, Jacob." I growled to myself, turning to the woods. I ran, spotting the strips of my cast, only flaring the anger more. Sam did this. _Sam._ He turned me into this always flaming, graceful, scary beast that I wanted to run from. But even I knew that was impossible.

I broke through the line of trees, birds flying at the sound of my approach. I spotted each tree with accuracy, avoiding rocks and twigs in my path. My cunning eyes darted through the rough thorns and brush, my feet barely leaving scrapes in the cold ice.

"Alice!"

I turned, running at the same speed backwards. I spotted Jacob, accompanied by Sam, running fast after me, their eyes angry and dark. I smiled to myself, chuckling lightly, and I turned around again, running just as fast.

I spotted two flashes of light to my left and right, the colors blinding me momentarily. I heard snarls and feral growls, but my feet didn't slow. When I saw Leah out of the corner of my eye, coming full speed at me in wolf-form, my anger exploded.

My body went into a sort of autopilot, avoiding the trees but not nearly going as fast. My vision warped again, the trees and snow flashing from color to sepia to grayscale. I sighed, embracing the change. I launched myself into the air, a pure white light engulfing me. I reached the ground, falling straight onto my face in a ball of limbs.

I had changed into something new. And by new, I don't mean a new pair of jeans.

* * *

_Drama! Oohh!  
Posting the outfit Adelaide wears on my profile. And don't forget to check out Impossible!_

_~GTE_


	12. SheWolves

_Hey readers! SO sorry I'm lacking in quick updates - I'm sending this out from my unseasonally warm room while I suffer from the flu :(_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_Whoa. She changed! Is that possible?_

_It's not natural. Sam, can you take care of her?_

_No. She's disrespected us enough. I'm leaving her to die._

_Sam!_

_He's bluffing, I swear._

I opened my eyes, the vision even more colorful and crisp than ever before. My hearing had improved, but I could hear other voices. I scratched at my ear with my hind leg, trying to rid myself of the hisses and whispers.

_Crap. Where's Embry? He'll be thrilled at this little piece of information…_

_Embry? Why does it matter?_

_Paul, he's her imprinter._

_Then why is she shifting on us?_

I stood up, the fur on my neck bristling. I turned around swiftly, finding six wolves running right at me - a black one, a dark grey one, a tiny light grey one, a golden-brown one, a sandy one, and a russet-red one.

Sam, Jared, Paul, and my three friends - Jacob, Leah, and Seth. I stopped in my tracks, coming to my senses as I sat calmly on my haunches. I had no chance against even one of them, let alone all six.

_She stopped. Sam, go._

_Jared, if you know what's good for you you'll shut your mouth._

_Can I kill her?_

_No, Paul, you can't. I created her, I'll kill her._

I sucked in a breath through my new, pointed teeth, turning to face the three who were walking at me. Sam was at the front of the small triangle, his tongue loling out of his mouth, his eyes wild. Walking calmly on his left side was the golden-brown wolf, Jared, and on his right was Paul, his eyes apprising me, readying to kill me.

I stood up, curling my upper lip over my teeth. Jared stopped, running back to find Jacob, Leah, and Seth, who were eerily quiet and had mysteriously vanished from my view. Paul's smile widened, his teeth poking out of his mouth, dripping with saliva. I was challenging him, and he had a perfect opportunity to challenge back and kill me.

_Both of you. Stop right now._

I looked over at Sam, and my anger bristled even more. _Yeah, why should I?_

He looked taken aback, surprised that I could answer him. He bristled in anger, stalking over to me. _Alice. Be quiet._

_Why should I? _I nearly yelled in my head, standing my ground to the big, black wolf. _You did this to me. You have no right to tell me what to do._

_Actually, _Sam said, towering over me and staring at me with his piercing black eyes. _I have every right. I did this to you. You're in my pack now. It's that simple._

_But how? _I hissed, darting through his legs and sitting cunningly behind him. _Embry explained this all. I shouldn't be changing into a wolf! I'm not related to the Quileutes - well, at least I don't think I am._

Sam bristled again, his hair poofing up. He sighed, turning to face me and dropping on his haunches. _It's only happened once or twice in our history. You must have a little more Quileute in you then you ever learned about, and my bite just provoked the change._

_What? _I got up, nervously pacing around him. Paul sat not too far away, and he too was amazed, his eyes wide. I faced away from Sam and sat down awkwardly, my instincts making me scratch my ear immediately. I scowled, stopping. _I don't have any Quileute in me! My parents are Italian and Irish. I don't think any Quileute wiggled itself in there._

_You never know, _Sam said, and he adjusted himself to be staring at me again. _And I'm sorry for that bite again. It was the only way I could get you off the road. _

I sighed, blinking a few times. _This is all so confusing._

_We know._

I hoisted my new, even more graceful body up, staring at Sam. _I need to find Embry._

_He's not in our pack anymore._

_What? _I raised whatever I had for eyebrows, hoping I looked surprised. _But I thought you were pack leader._

_I am, _he said, joining me as I walked away from wherever we had been. _But I'm not the only one. You know Jacob, right? Well he broke away from my pack a few months ago and has his own. It was just him and Seth and Leah, but Embry and Quil joined. I have a few more than he does, though. And now I have you._

_Well, _I said, feeling a bit flattered but more shocked and amazed. _I have to join the pack with my Imprinter. I can't stay away from him. You don't mind, do you?_

Sam growled, curling his lip. _Of course I mind! You can't just switch packs, Alice._

_And why can't I?_

_Because you belong to me! You have to have Jacob claim you. It's not as easy as it sounds._

I pulled up my lip, snarling at him. _I'm positive you're lying. And even if I did ask Jacob, I'm sure he'd collect me._

Sam was about to snarl at me when I took off at a run, focusing on the heartbeats of the boys at Jacob's house. I could smell them, their scents woodsy and smelling of cold snow, not unlike mine. I heard Sam's lumbering feet behind me, but I was smaller than Leah and much, much faster. He couldn't touch me.

I burst into Jacob's yard, looking around for anyone who could help me. I wanted to change back to human, but I remembered that Sam and most of the others had some sort of clothing tied around their ankle, whereas I had nothing.

"Here."

I looked over, finding Leah standing in a blue sundress, her hair down. She held out a light pink dress, smiling awkwardly and looking at her feet, which were mostly covered in ice.

"You're welcome. I'll take care of Sam."

How did she know I got in a fight with him?

I grabbed the dress oddly in my mouth, the fabric a coarse cotton. I ran into the bushes, trusting Leah, and I focused on human thoughts, my body transforming instantly. I pulled the cotton over my head, glad to be human again.

I fingered my hair, the texture becoming curly like it was when I woke up. I examined my legs, my arms, and my hands, realizing that they were still boiling with almost an unhealthy fever. But at the same time, they were healthy. I didn't feel sick.

Huh. Must be a werewolf thing. Werewolf. Ugh.

"Alice?"

"Yeah Leah, I'm fine."

She sighed, looking at the dress. "Keep it. Pink is not my color."

I chuckled, walking beside her in the knee-deep snow. Her skin seemed to be even hotter than mine, her feet burning the snow into lukewarm water. Mine just melted it a bit, making it necessary to lift my feet. "What did you do to Sam?"

"Threatened him with Nessie."

"What?" I froze, the snow melting slowly around my legs in a freezing dew.

"Threatened him with-"

"Oh, no, no, I heard that part," I said, walking with her towards Jacob's again. "But how can a - six? Is she six? - year old kid be threatening to a teenage werewolf?"

"Trust me. She's not as friendly and girly as she looks." Leah chuckled, grazing a small scratch on her arm. I chuckled too, smiling. Nessie must be vicious.

"So…can I join Jacob's pack? Or would that be suicide?"

Leah paused, making the snow melt in a soft puddle of slush around her. "No, not suicide."

"Then why did Sam make up those lies before?"

She led me to the back of Jacob's house, sitting down on the porch. A huge stack of blankets sat in a basket near the door, and I wanted to grab one just to appear somewhat normal, but I didn't need it. My body burned, and a blanket just seemed uninviting.

Leah grabbed a blanket, layering it precisely behind her so when she sat on the porch her dress wouldn't dampen. She sighed, glancing over at me as I stood awkwardly in the knee-deep fluff. "It's complicated."

"Is that you're favorite saying? I mean all you wolves say it."

Leah smiled, patting the blanket next to her. "Sure we say it a lot. But it's for a reason. You shouldn't be changing at all - no offence - and it makes everything really confusing. I'll help you a bit though. You can't forget that I went through this too…you know, the girly wolf thing."

I smiled, sitting down next to her. Both our legs were gleaming with melted snow, but hers were distinctively tanner and longer with age than mine. I guessed Leah to be about 20 to my 16. "I know. And so far, you've been a big help. I don't think any of the wolves would let me live it down if I had to run into Jacob's in the nude."

Leah choked in laughter, rubbing a tear from her eye. "I think you'll like this. You know, the wolf thing? You don't have periods anymore. It's sort of a hidden lifesaver. You don't have to worry about the whole imprint thing, either. You've got one. Me, I do." She sighed, staring at her bare feet, her toenails painted a neon orange. "I doubt I'm ever going to get one, Alice."

I turned, looking at her surprisingly. "Why wouldn't you get one, Leah? I mean, seriously. You're pretty, nice-"

She looked up at me, her eyes cold. "It's a guy thing, Alice. Only the guys do it. And when they do, they expect a normal girl to carry on the line. It doesn't work with girls."

"But I'm not normal, Leah. You're forgetting I'm like you now too."

"No, you're not-"

"But I'm a wolf too. If you don't have a period, then you can't have babies. I can't carry the line, either."

A look of shock and recognition crossed her face, and she sighed, pulling an arm around me friendlily. "We she-wolves gotta stick together."

I chuckled, nodding. "That we do."

* * *

_Hope you enjoy! And please read my other story - Impossible - and look at the set on my profile!_

_~GTE_


	13. Driftwood

_Hey guys! Sorry for no update in such a long time - I legit forgot about this. But I read the whole thing yesterday again and I think I'm ready to continue :). Enjoy!_

* * *

"Let me get this straight, you _want _to commit suicide?"

Leah scowled at her brother, lightly flicking his head as we sat around the table in Jacob's kitchen, snow falling softly in the dim light outside. "She doesn't! Seth, we've gone over this and your sarcarm isn't helping."

He glared at her out of the corner of his eye, his brown eyes cold. I laughed out loud at his serious expression. Seth was not a serious guy in the least. I had to pity him though - he was the only wolf without an imprint, sparing Leah of course.

"But seriously. Do you expect Sam to give you up without a fight?" Seth stared at me in all seriousness, his eyes piercing. "He's all worked up over the prospect of having 'created' you, and is curious about seeing if this whole bite provoking genes thing works with others. You're his example. He's not giving you up easily."

I sighed, brushing my ultra-long, wavy hair that hadn't seen a flat iron in weeks off of my face. "Great." My nails were now the same neon-orange that Leah's were, and I had taken it upon myself to give her a better haircut. Hey, I did Bridget's, I could certainly do hers too.

Bridget. Mom. Dad. Jamie, Mikayla, Adrianna. I stifled back a sob, hiding my face between my hands. I hadn't been home in months. I was living on clothes and belongings I had ran home to steal in the middle of the night and some of Leah's hand-me-downs. I couldn't return home. Not only was my house too far away for me to live in and commute back to the pack every day, my family would probably put me in a straightjacket if I told them I was a wolf. Leah glanced over at me in concern, and I waved her off. She understood me instantly.

Leah was my wall. She was the older sister I had always wanted and almost like a mother to me. Her mom, Sue, was great too - she'd bring me the girly things she could never use for Leah, like the pink nail polishes and pretty smelling lotions and feminine-colored sundresses. Leah would smile as her things were given away, not jealous in the least of my replacement as the girly daughter. It actually left Leah to live her life as a tomboy.

"It's okay, Alice," Leah said, patting my shoulder gently and curtly. "Sam hates girls with short hair. We'll cut yours and you'll be fine." Leah said angrily, suddenly deciding that the refrigerator behind Seth's head was much more exciting than the conversation. She must've had some sort of grudge against Sam.

"Leah, stop pulling personal feelings into this."

Leah snarled, her nose twitching in anger at Seth. "Shut up, Seth." She glanced at me in apology before getting up out of the chair, running outside quickly. I saw her grab a blue piece of twine with her name labeled on it with duct tape, signaling she needed to run and phase. Typical of Leah.

"Seriously though," said Seth, grabbing my hands playfully and smirking innocently. "We'll need to cut your hair. Notice how short the rest of ours is? It only gets in the way."

I instantly jumped away from his touch, glaring at him angrily while gripping my hair. "No."

"Why?"

"No. End of story."

Seth rolled his eyes. "It's just hair, Alice. It grows back, you know."

"I said no. Leave it alone." I got up, glaring jokingly at him. I too ran to the small doorframe, grabbing the pink piece of twine labeled "Alice" in a glittery Sharpie. Typical of Jacob.

They really all appreciated me here. I got my own strand of pink twine. The boys (and Leah) included me in all the games and sparring matches. I got my own square of territory to patrol and my own bedroom at Seth and Leah's house. The only suckish part was Sam. He was like the overprotective big brother that nobody wants or likes. I could only spend time at Jacob's if he was nearby. My time with Jacob's pack was limited due to the fact that he couldn't hear their thoughts if they found out information about me that he didn't. Sam made me his "gamma" so I would always have access to his mind (like I wanted it!) and he always had access to mine. Jacob wasn't allowed within 10 feet of me without Sam being nearby. He was more a dictator than a pack leader, and I didn't like it.

I phased under the cover of the woods, throwing my dress over my back. Leah's scent was distinct, leading through the woods in a straight, direct line. I smiled at her path, knowing exactly she was headed. LaPush beach with Embry.

Embry! My heart leaped up into my throat just at the thought of his name. My change didn't affect our relationship at all. If anything, it strengthened it. Sam couldn't deny me time with my imprint, so I would take long runs with him at night when all the other wolves were sleeping. Let's just say they ended early in the morning…and we didn't always run. You get the picture.

Leah's tail was in view ahead, her gray fur swaying in the light wind. She heard me behind her and smiled in the wolfish way, slowing to let me catch up. I reached out to her, touching her mind carefully without hearing her yet.

Instantly I felt Sam pulling me back. _You know that's not aloud, Alice._

I scowled, glad Sam couldn't see me. _It's just Leah. What do you have against her?_

I heard Sam scowl, and he automatically sent me a picture of him and Leah in a tight embrace. _A lot. _

_You guys are lovers?_

_No! _He shouted, making me stop and let out a low whine. Leah turned around, trotting back to check on me in concern.

_Then why can't I hang out with her?_

_You just can't. I forbid you to. _The order set in with hatred, and I sighed, turning to look at Leah.

_You okay? _She asked, cocking her head. She was Jacob's beta, so sometimes she could speak to the other pack without any permission. Jacob allowed everyone to talk to me if they had to, and Embry was allowed to all the time. I loved it but hated that Sam wouldn't just let me in their pack. It would make things so much easier.

_Yeah, _I said, hanging my head. _Sam "forbids" me to hang out with you today._

_He's such a buzz kill._

_I know. But I'm still going. You know, to see Embry._

She nodded, immediately turning in the other direction. _I'll see you later then?_

_Hopefully. That is, if my dictator lets me._

Leah chuckled and loped off, running in the opposite direction of the beach. She wanted to give us imprint time. Most of the other wolves shied away from imprint time, unless it was with their own imprint.

I trotted gracefully towards his woodsy scent, and I could tell he was nearby. That same gravitational force pulled me closer to him, the same way it did when we first met. I sighed, letting it pull me. I always loved seeing him. The tree line ended abruptly and I charged onto the beach, spotting Embry instantly. He was poking at a driftwood fire, the flames a calming blue-green as they licked the snow around it. I lolled over to him, and he chuckled, reaching up to pet my ears.

"Are you shifting here or in the forest?" he asked, grabbing my powder blue dress from off my back. "I can't be away from you for much longer...everything seems to hurt when you're not here."

_That's so gross._

_Shit, Sam. Can't you leave me alone?_

Sam chuckled in a stupid way like the loser he was. _Uh, actually, no._

_I'm having imprint time. Go hang out with your lover._

_She's not my lover!_

_Okay, Sam. Okay. _

"You okay, Alice?"

My eyes flashed to Embry, who was looking confused. I chuckled, the sound coming out as a soft woof, and I rubbed my muzzle with my paw. He nodded, understanding our universal code that I was talking with someone else too. He jumped up, going into the forest to phase himself before I could stop him.

_If I can't talk to you that way, I might as well join you. _I smiled to myself as Embry brushed up behind me, his fur much more rough than mine was. _It's a lot nicer out than I thought._

_Yeah, it is, isn't it? _I ran up to him and nuzzled his nose in almost like an Eskimo kiss. He kissed back, and I chuckled in my head, my clear blue eyes looking into his black ones. _I need my dress. We should phase back._

_No we shouldn't._

_Uh, yeah, we should._

_No you don't, Miss Alice. Imprint time is up. _

_Sam, go away. _Embry shot back, his fur bristling. _She's mine right now._

_She's always mine._

Embry's lip curled up into a snarl directed at the forest where Sam was probably stalking us. _She might be your new gamma, but she's always my imprint. Now go phase and play with your little human doll._

_My human doll? And what do you call yours?_

_My she-wolf. And she's awesome._

If I was human at the time, I would've blushed. But then again, if I was human, I wouldn't be hearing voices in my head. Instead, I screamed, _Both of you, stop! Sam, back off and find something to do that doesn't involve being all creeperish. Embry, phase back. I'll be right there._

_You phase back and you're dead, Alice. _Sam's voice was threatening, and he sent me mental images of my own white pelt being torn apart by not only him but by Paul and some of the new wolves, Collin and Brady.

Embry growled threateningly, but I stopped him. I sighed, glancing over at Embry. _You're a terrible bluffer, Sam. I'm your precious little first-prize genetic science experiment and too valueable to kill for real. Until then, consider me dead and gone and get a life that doesn't involve me. _My thoughts went human as I phased back, rushing in the cold and darkness to find my dress. I saw the flash of light behind me telling me that Embry had phased back behind me, and I knew he knew where my dress was.

"Where's my dress?"

"Hmm?" Embry peeked over at me from behind a bush. "Your dress? That little shred?"

"Yes," I said, approaching him. My eyes were glued to his face, knowing he had left his jeans near the fire. "That shred. And my face is up here."

He chuckled, walking over to meet me. "It's over there. Near the fire. Close to the flame…"

I broke into alarm, not wanting my dress to go into flames - or for Embry to be all creeperish, too. "Embry!" I cried, breaking into a run towards where the soft blue dress lay over a log. "Stay there, you pervert. Eyes away! Urgh."

He chuckled as I ran to get my dress. I pulled it over my head, the cotton covering shielding me from Embry's eyes. We had seen each other of course, but I didn't feel like doing anything else tonight. With my dress back on I called him back and we hugged tenderly as I smoothed my hands over his chest.

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't notice you were a bit cooler tonight." Did I forget to mention that we get colder when we're sick? Well, I do anyway. The others are always hot and never ever get sick, whereas I sometimes give off a cooler heat and coincidentally feel suckish.

"It's okay," I said, sighing. My arms relaxed and he sat down on a log by the fire, the flames running low, their once blue light greenish. The flames gave off an odd odor of my glorious pack leader/stalker. "Sam's been here. Look at that! What a jerk. Peeing on the fire…"

Embry scowled but threw a few more pieces of wood on the fire, the salt smell of the dried branches drowning out the horrid odor. "I'll have to kill him eventually."

"Don't. He'd kill me first."

Embry chuckled and pulled me close, his voice soft. "Sam's a horrible bluffer, but I love that you'd die for me."

"He was just bluffing, Embry." I said, chuckling. Suddenly my nose twitched involuntarily, and I perked up. "I smell him. Where is he?"

"Off. He heard us. Well not the whispering, but you know…the killing part."

"He's such a creeper," I said, glancing up at Embry. I reached for the iron rod, poking the fire carefully. "He's never killed any of us. He's just threatened me. Every single day. And he gives me no privacy whatsoever."

Embry growled softly, pulling me back to hug my shoulders. "He should."

"_Are you insane, Alice! Disobeying me? Do you want to die?_" I rolled my eyes, my impression of Sam getting better and better as I reenacted it more. "He does and he won't stop. It's just kinda his thing. No big deal."

Suddenly Embry bounded up, untangling his twine from his ankle. "We need to find Jacob and Ness and get all this sorted out before the bluffing becomes real." His brown eyes grew black and hard, and he grabbed me by the hand, glancing at my twine. "Go change. I'll meet you at Jacob's."

I watched as Embry bounded into the woods with a leap, his body changing into a wolf in a flash of light. His cutoffs rained down on me in shreds and I wrinkled my nose at his odd behavior.

Embry wasn't one for dramatic exits. Something was up.

* * *

_Collages and such from Polyvore are on my profile. Please review!_

_-GTE_


End file.
